UK storage developer Rheenergise has completed ‘the most important mechanical works’ in the long-term hydro-energy storage system facility in Devon.
The company described the Cornwood Research and Development (R&D) demonstrator, near Plymouth, as a “real-life test laboratory” for its technology, which combined long-term energy storage (LDES) and pumped hydro technology. After the completion of civil technical works in the facility earlier this year, the Cornwood factory now installed important components, including the most important turbine, pump and generators.
The company’s hydro system uses ‘liquid R-19’ with high density, which is two and a half times closer than water. This high density means that the project can be constructed in areas with a lower height than conventional pumped hydro projects, where significant variations are essential and the project can be two and a half times smaller than traditional pumped hydro projects of the same output.
When Rheenergise announced for the first time to build the demonstration factory in April 2024CEO Stephen Crocer said he expects the company to “hire its first 10 MW grid scale project within two years”, and Rheenergise has since built up his demonstration factory. The latest installation work was completed by Da Macdonald, Friendship Engineering and Drew & Co., and led by Dr. Tamás Bertéyi, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Rheenergise.
“Completion of the most important mechanical works is an important milestone in the Cornwood project and enables us to go to the liquid tests and the energy storage phases of the work,” said Bertényi. “We have carried out considerable R&D work to take ourselves to this stage, but Cornwood is a live and crucial test bed for our work.”
Bertényi added that the company is expected to build and to build and set up his first long-term hydro energy storage systems “within the next two to three years”, a slightly longer period of time than Crocer in April 2024.
Rheenergise spoke with our colleagues Energy storage. in 2022 about his work, and The need to build more small -scale projects in the rapidly changing energy mix of the UK. This Buildout is supported by various government rounds, including the longer energy demonstration program of the British government.
The program was launched in 2022 and has awarded more than $ 69 million to capital financing in two competition flows, which ultimately grants 32 projects with financing to develop new long -term energy storage technologies. Rheenergise received £ 149,537 through this schedule and started work at the Cornwood project last year.
