Application due in July for Trafford cryobattery

Trafford Council expects to receive the planning application for “the world’s first” commercial liquid air battery plant in the coming weeks, to be located at the Carrington Power Station off Manchester Road.

Energy company Highview Power aims to build the CryoBattery facility after receiving a £10m grant from the Government last week.

The facility is intended to help the UK make the most of the energy generated from its solar and wind sectors, by storing excess energy on a larger scale and for longer than existing battery plants.

Liquid air battery, or ‘cryobattery’, technology involves using electricity to cool and compress air to turn it into liquid, then storing it in industrial-sized containers to be re-generated into electricity for future use.

At the Carrington CryoBattery, the green energy stored could power up to 200,000 homes for five hours, according to Highview Power. The site could store multiple gigawatt-hours of storage representing weeks of storage, not just hours or days.

The exact size of the facility is yet to be made public, and a planning application containing such details is expected to be submitted next month.

A spokesperson for Trafford Council told Place North West: “[The council] has been in discussions with the applicant regarding technical reports and supporting information ahead of a planning application, which we expect to receive in the next few weeks.”

“This new cryogenic energy storage plant will deliver much needed long-duration energy storage and provide valuable services to the National Grid,” Javier Cavada, chief executive of Highview Power, said in a statement last week.

“We have been chosen to assist the UK in achieving its goal of a 100% clean, carbon-free energy future.”

Highview Power has entered into a joint venture with UK power station developer Carlton Power, to build and operate the facility at Trafford Energy Park in Carrington Village, Greater Manchester.

The facility will be one of Europe’s largest battery storage systems. Highview Power and Carlton Power plan to co-develop up to four additional CryoBattery projects in the UK.

The Government’s minister for energy and clean growth, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “The UK is now home to the world’s largest offshore wind farm, and a third of the country’s electricity needs are now met from renewable sources.

“But the unpredictable nature of wind and solar power means that energy can be produced when it is not needed by the grid.

“Harnessing storage technologies is a key part of meeting the UK’s target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will give the UK far greater flexibility in helping meet the country’s electricity needs from the grid.”

 

 

Your Comments

Read our comments policy

Related Articles

Sign up to receive the Place Daily Briefing

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields

Your Job Field*
Other regional Publications - select below