Engineering firm Bilfinger has secured work on the UK’s first commercial liquid air energy storage site, where it will mobilise around 200 employees.
The Aberdeen-based business will be carrying out steel procurement and construction work on the Manchester facility.
Bilfinger will be working alongside long-duration energy storage business Highview Power on the project, which will be capable of storing enough renewable energy to power 1m homes with electricity for an hour.
Highview Power’s facility will have an output of 50 MW and a capacity of 300 MWh, based on the firm’s proprietary long-duration energy storage system.
The system compresses air, which liquefies and can then be stored at low pressure in tanks for weeks, Bilfinger explained.
When the liquid air is exposed to regular temperature, it returns to a gas and expands in size 700-fold. This rapid expansion will power a turbine to generate electricity.
The site in Carrington, Manchester, will convert surplus electricity into liquid air for storage.
Earlier this month Highview Power secured backing from the UK Infrastructure Bank and Centrica in the form of a £300 million investment, creating 700 jobs.
Highview Power chief executive Richard Butland said: “Our first project in Carrington will be the foundation for our full-scale roll-out in the UK and expansion with partners to share this British technology internationally.”
Bilfinger’s engineering, automation and projects UK business stream has already carried out consultancy services during the pre-construction phase of the project.
Darren Clement, vice president of Bilfinger engineering, automation and projects UK, said: “Highview Power’s collaboration with Bilfinger represents a pivotal moment in the energy transition.
“By leveraging our industrial expertise, this project will see Bilfinger significantly contribute to the nation’s renewable energy goals and grid stabilisation efforts.
“With a dedicated team of approximately 200 Bilfinger employees deployed at the customer’s site, we’re excited to deliver this transformative project.”
Prefabrication will be carried out in Bilfinger’s own local workshops as it works on the installation of the site’s 40 m long, heavy liquid air storage tanks, which exceed the capabilities of conventional cranes.
The engineering firm is poised to get started on mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, insulation, painting and structural steel work to bring this UK-first to fruition.
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