Innovate UK Conference Highlights the Work of Two Storage Tech Firms

Two energy storage firms yesterday were recognized at the Innovate UK conference for their work in liquid air and copper/zinc technologies.

In a keynote speech at the conference in Birmingham, England, Business Minister Claire Perry announced the winners of the first phase of an energy innovation competition looking into the feasibility of energy storage.

Highview Enterprises Ltd. (d/b/a, Highview Power Storage) and Cumulus Energy Storage Ltd. were among the winners for an energy feasibility study competition. Specific award amounts were not disclosed.

Highview designs custom liquid air energy storage (LAES) plants that can deliver from 5 MW/15 MWh to about 200 MW/1.2 GWh. In October, the company said it will work with Siemens to provide advanced technology for a new hybrid LAES system at the Pilsworth landfill gas plant in Greater Manchester, England. According to Highview, the Pilsworth plant will be commissioned in early 2018 and the hybrid system is expected to be operational by summer 2018.

Cumulus Energy Storage is developing low-cost grid-scale rechargeable copper/zinc batteries for the long-duration energy storage market. In June, the company said it has obtained seed funding for its work. Cumulus has manufacturing facilities in Sheffield, England, and research and development facilities in San Francisco.

Lead image: Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK Chief Executive, and Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, Claire Perry. Credit: Innovate UK

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