MAN Energy Solutions in Liquid-Air Energy-Storage project

Highview Power, a global specialist in long duration energy storage solutions, has selected MAN Energy Solutions to provide a Liquid-Air Energy-Storage (LAES) turbomachinery solution for its CRYOBattery facility - a 50-MW liquid-air, energy-storage facility with a minimum of 250 MWh – located in Carrington Village, Greater Manchester, UK.

MAN explained that the liquid air energy storage plant uses cryogenically-liquefied air as a medium for storing energy. It is especially suitable for special applications that require large amounts of energy over a discharge time of several hours, and enables fluctuating, renewable sources to bear base-loads.

Rendering of MAN’s liquid air energy storage system with stability island, including flywheel and large-sized generator (on the right end)

The MAN turbomachinery train will form the core of the CRYOBattery facility that, upon completion, will form one of Europe’s largest battery-storage systems, supplying reliable, and cost-efficient long-duration energy storage primarily from renewable sources.

MAN said, for this type of application it will make utmost use of its compressor portfolio to complement the different sizes of LAES plants: smaller plants will rely on integrally geared technology while bigger plants can make best use of axial and radial compressor combinations. MAN also contributes with the broad experience from its MAN Cryo division on the cold side of the process. Finally, the expertise and experience on molten-salt-operated systems completes the competence profile for being the right partner for LAES technology, MAN added.

“There has been a lot of background work involved in getting to this stage – in the face of much competition – and I am personally delighted that Highview Power has chosen to work with MAN Energy Solutions,“ said Wayne Jones OBE, Chief Sales Officer and Member of the Executive Board of MAN Energy Solutions. “This is also a milestone for MAN Energy Solutions’ strategic journey. Our ability in this instance to provide both energy-storage turbomachinery technology and grid stabilisation, as demanded by the process requirements, fits perfectly with our stated strategy of increasingly moving from supplying components to becoming a supplier of complete solutions. This is where our customers can fully reap the benefit of our all-round expertise.”

Construction of the CRYOBattery facility began in late 2020 with commercial operation commencing during 2022. Highview Power will operate the facility in partnership with Carlton Power, a UK independent power-station developer.

Construction will proceed in two phases: phase 1 will involve the installation of a ‘stability island’, to provide near-instantaneous energy grid stabilisation, using a generator and flywheel, among other components. Phase 2 will enable short-term stabilisation with the completion of the more complex liquid air energy storage system that includes various compressors, air expanders and cryogenic equipment.

Phase 2 will represent the integration of stability services with a full-scale long-duration energy storage system, and in doing so promote the full integration of renewable energy.