Highview Power has officially cut the ribbon on a facility that could redefine how the world stores renewable energy. At a site in Pilsworth, near Manchester, the company launched the world’s first grid-scale Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) plant.
This is not just another battery project. It represents a technological breakthrough that offers a viable alternative to pumped hydro and lithium-ion batteries. The 5MW/15MWh facility is now operational, proving that cryogenic energy storage is ready for the commercial market.
The “Cryobattery” Explained
The technology inside the plant sounds like science fiction, but it relies on established engineering principles. The concept is simple: use electricity to cool air until it turns into a liquid, store it, and then use it to generate power when needed.
How it works:
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Charging: The system takes in air from the atmosphere. It cleans the air and cools it down to -196°C (-320°F). At this temperature, the air turns into a liquid.
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Storage: This liquid air is stored in insulated low-pressure tanks. It is incredibly space-efficient; 700 liters of ambient air become just 1 liter of liquid. It can be kept there for weeks with minimal losses.
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Discharging: When the grid needs power, the liquid is pumped to high pressure and exposed to heat (using waste heat or ambient air). This causes it to expand rapidly back into a gas. The expansion drives a turbine to generate electricity.
Why This Launch Matters
The launch at Pilsworth is significant because it solves the “long-duration” problem. While lithium-ion batteries are excellent for short bursts of power (minutes to an hour), they are expensive to scale for longer periods. They also degrade over time.
Highview’s technology has no degradation. The tanks can last for decades. Furthermore, the system is built using standard components from the industrial gas and power generation sectors. It doesn’t require rare earth minerals or complex supply chains.
Gareth Brett, CEO of Highview Power at the time of the launch, emphasized the scalability of the tech. He noted that while this plant generates 5MW, the technology can easily scale to hundreds of megawatts, providing the massive inertia and stability the grid needs.
A Strategic Partnership
The Pilsworth plant was developed in partnership with Viridor, a recycling and energy recovery company. The location is strategic. The LAES plant sits alongside Viridor’s landfill gas generation facility.
This allows for a clever engineering trick. The Highview system converts waste heat from the landfill gas engines to boost its own efficiency during the expansion process. It demonstrates how storage can be integrated with existing industrial infrastructure to create a circular energy loop.
Supporting a Net-Zero Future
The UK government has supported the project, recognizing that long-duration storage is the missing piece of the renewable puzzle. As wind and solar capacity grows, the grid needs a way to store excess energy for reliable use during calm or cloudy days.
This launch proves that “air” can be that storage medium. It moves the industry beyond the geographical constraints of pumped hydro (which needs mountains) and the lifespan issues of chemical batteries.
With this facility now online, Highview Power has signaled that the age of cryogenic energy storage has arrived. The focus now shifts to rolling out even larger plants across the UK and globally.
