In line with our strategy to focus on grid-balancing opportunities for the UK, we are proud to be supporting this very innovative flexible power generation solution.

It is undeniable that renewable energy is highly desirable as a cheap and carbon neutral energy source. However, without an infrastructure in place to deal with the intermittency of renewable sources such as solar and wind, the logic of adding renewable energy becomes less strong or the task itself simply becomes problematic due to the challenges imposed on the grid operator.

This asset helps provide energy access through grid stabilization, while addressing greenhouse gas emissions by not only using efficient technology but also capturing carbon dioxide as a product for the food and beverage sector.

By combining a range of existing and proven technologies, this programme offers a very compelling solution to enable further renewable energy penetration in the UK energy mix. The way this programme contributes to de-carbonising the UK energy market is multi-faceted:

Firstly, by displacing coal as the source to call on when renewable resources are not available
Secondly, increasing efficiency of the gas-fired power engines with the addition of the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology, which has the impact of delivering a unit of power with a much lower consumption of natural gas
Thirdly, by capturing the exhaust gases at the end of the cycle, “scrubbing” it and turning it into purified food-grade CO2. This has the impact of displacing imports of industrial CO2 (which have been in shortage in the UK) as well as displacing domestic CO2 originated from ammonia plants

The key project partners include Rolls Royce, Turboden and Climeon. The operating partner is Landmark Power Holdings Ltd, which is led by a group of UK energy specialists.

A 15-year power offtake and gas supply agreement was signed with Axpo and a first batch of sparkspread hedges were secured, locking in healthy margins for the project. In addition, a 15-year offtake agreement for food-grade CO2 was also signed on attractive terms with an industrial gas specialist group. Additional revenues can be sourced from grid ancillary services such as balancing mechanism and capacity market; and additional margin can be captured via private wire to local industrial user.