Richard Butland’s $4 B cryogenic power shift
CEO Richard Butland leads Highview Power’s $4 B (£3 B) cryogenic storage push to replace gas turbines and stabilise the UK grid with 20 plants by 2040.
Image for illustrative purposes
UK: As renewable energy grows and traditional grids evolve, Highview Power is pioneering a cryogenic solution for long-duration energy storage. Using liquid air, their technology aims to provide up to 20 hours of zero-emission, dispatchable electricity, potentially replacing the fast-response gas turbines that currently stabilise the UK grid.
Highview Power, led by CEO Richard Butland, has transitioned from pilot stage to commercial-scale deployment. The first commercial project, Carrington near Manchester, is set to launch in early 2026, delivering 50 MW output and 300 MWh of storage. This plant serves as the foundation for four larger 2.5 GWh facilities planned by 2030 across England and Scotland. Highview intends to build 16 more plants by 2040, requiring an estimated $21 B (£16 B) in capital.
Butland emphasises that the company’s strengths lie in both its cryogenic innovation and advanced grid analytics. These analytics support governments in planning stable, zero-carbon grids and in identifying where Highview’s tech can provide the most benefit. Backed by UK Infrastructure Bank funding, the company seeks policy certainty over subsidies to unlock low-cost capital.
Highview currently collaborates with major partners including SSE, Siemens, Air Products, and Sumitomo. The firm also sees future opportunities in industrial co-location, remote operations, and international markets such as Ireland, Australia, and Germany.
By replacing gas-fired plants with cryogenic energy storage, Highview Power aims to help reduce the UK’s gas dependency from over 30 % to below 10 % by 2030, delivering scalable, sustainable grid stability for decades to come.
Source: gasworld
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