A Manchester green energy plant has taken a key step forward with the appointment of a key contractor who will start work later this year.

Spencer Group has secured a £23m contract to design the site layout and deliver the enabling works and civils at Highview Power’s liquid air energy storage site at Trafford Energy Park in Carrington.

The £300m project, billed as the first of its kind in the UK, will store surplus energy from wind and solar sources. Highview Power’s technology uses that energy to liquefy air. When needed, the air is used to power a turbine to generate electricity that can then be sent out of the site again.

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Highview Power says the tech can store energy for longer than conventional batteries can, and will help reduce energy waste. The company announced last month that it had secured investment from energy giant Centrica and the UK Infrastructure Bank for the project, and it now plans to build other such sites across the UK. The £300m funding package also included investment from Goldman Sachs, Danish fund KIRKBI, Mosaic Capital, and mining and metals giant Rio Tinto.

Spencer Group’s Civils Division will begin work later this year, with the plant expected to be operational in 2026.

Charlie Spencer, executive chairman at Hull’s Spencer Group, said: “Highview Power is a leading player in helping the UK achieve its net zero targets and is addressing the key issue of energy storage.

“We’re delighted to be involved with this exciting and pioneering project, which promises to reshape the future of renewable energy.

“We have a strong track record of delivering large-scale energy projects and we’re excited to expand our portfolio of works within this field with a project that will play a key role in the UK’s energy transition.”

John Goldie, Highview Power’s programme director, added: "We are looking forward to continuing to build and further our relationship with Spencer Group, which we have developed over the past 24 months during the pre-execute phase of the Carrington project.

“We selected Spencer Group based on their expertise and experience in delivering similar type projects and providing innovative and value-added solutions in engineering and construction.”