Work has started on a 50 MW liquid air energy storage facility in the UK.

Once complete in 2023, the CRYOBattery project in Greater Manchester is expected to be one of Europe’s largest energy storage systems.

“Our facility will deliver much needed clean, reliable and cost-efficient long duration energy storage to the National Grid,” said Javier Cavada, chief executive and president of Highview Power which is delivering the project.

“The CRYOBattery will help the UK to integrate renewable energy and stabilize the regional electrical grid to ensure future energy security during blackouts and other disruptions.”

Highview’s proprietary cryogenic energy storage technology utilizes air liquefaction, in which ambient air is cooled and turned to liquid at -196 °C (-320 ?F). The liquid air is stored at low pressure and later heated and expanded to drive a turbine and generate power.

Highview was awarded a £10m grant from the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in June to build the facility at Trafford Energy Park, in Carrington Village, eight miles outside of Manchester.

UK’s largest battery energy storage system goes live

Highview will operate the facility in partnership with Carlton Power, a UK independent power station developer.

The facility will use existing substation and transmission infrastructure, with its income derived from several markets, including arbitrage (buying electricity when prices are low and selling it when prices are high), grid balancing, the capacity market, and ancillary services such as frequency response and voltage support.