Nov 24, 2025
UK's wind-powered gas and hydrogen storage project receives a significant boost with the submission of its license.
EnergyPathways, an energy transition company based in England, has submitted an application for an expanded gas storage license that includes natural gas and hydrogen storage for its main project off the Cumbria coast in the East Irish Sea. This submission follows the endorsement from Ed Miliband, the UK's Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, recognizing the Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) as of national importance.
Ben Clube, CEO of EnergyPathways, expressed satisfaction with the submission, hoping for a swift decision on the application due to the Secretary of State's positive acknowledgment. If approved, EnergyPathways aims to advance a hydrogen storage and transportation initiative linked to a 90 MW methane pyrolysis hydrogen production facility being developed with KBR and Hazer, supporting a hydrogen-to-power system in collaboration with Siemens Energy.
The new license application covers an area capable of housing up to 60 salt caverns for gas and hydrogen storage, significantly increasing the firm's development area. The company also plans to seek a Development Consent Order (DCO) for additional elements of the MESH project.
Clube emphasized the importance of developing natural gas storage to enhance the UK's energy security, given the country’s limited existing gas storage capacity. He views the license area and the broader Irish Sea region as having substantial potential for large-scale gas storage development.
The MESH facility is envisioned as a large-scale energy storage and decarbonization solution, expected to provide a reliable supply of affordable low-carbon energy for over 25 years. It will feature long-duration energy storage (LDES), flexible low-carbon power capacity, and production of low-carbon hydrogen and graphite, with future plans for low-carbon ammonia production.
The project will integrate its LDES storage system with existing infrastructure, connecting to the UK grid and nearby offshore wind farms, capitalizing on wasted wind power. MESH is designed to store curtailed offshore wind energy in salt caverns as compressed air.
This development will also incorporate large-scale hydrogen, thermal, and natural gas storage in salt caverns. During low renewable energy periods, the stored energy will be used to generate low-carbon power via compressed air, thermal energy, and hydrogen-compatible gas turbines.
Furthermore, the facility aims to produce affordable low-carbon hydrogen through methane pyrolysis technology, which EnergyPathways has exclusive rights to in the UK. The hydrogen produced will bolster the MESH power generation system, and a high-grade synthetic graphite will be the by-product.
In addition to supplying low-carbon electricity to the grid, the hydrogen produced is expected to support the UK's Project Union hydrogen network, aiding emissions reductions across the energy sector.
This storage project is projected to become operational by 2030, pending government approvals and financing, to help achieve the government’s 2030 Clean Power goals and facilitate the UK's energy transition.
Ben Clube, CEO of EnergyPathways, expressed satisfaction with the submission, hoping for a swift decision on the application due to the Secretary of State's positive acknowledgment. If approved, EnergyPathways aims to advance a hydrogen storage and transportation initiative linked to a 90 MW methane pyrolysis hydrogen production facility being developed with KBR and Hazer, supporting a hydrogen-to-power system in collaboration with Siemens Energy.
The new license application covers an area capable of housing up to 60 salt caverns for gas and hydrogen storage, significantly increasing the firm's development area. The company also plans to seek a Development Consent Order (DCO) for additional elements of the MESH project.
Clube emphasized the importance of developing natural gas storage to enhance the UK's energy security, given the country’s limited existing gas storage capacity. He views the license area and the broader Irish Sea region as having substantial potential for large-scale gas storage development.
The MESH facility is envisioned as a large-scale energy storage and decarbonization solution, expected to provide a reliable supply of affordable low-carbon energy for over 25 years. It will feature long-duration energy storage (LDES), flexible low-carbon power capacity, and production of low-carbon hydrogen and graphite, with future plans for low-carbon ammonia production.
The project will integrate its LDES storage system with existing infrastructure, connecting to the UK grid and nearby offshore wind farms, capitalizing on wasted wind power. MESH is designed to store curtailed offshore wind energy in salt caverns as compressed air.
This development will also incorporate large-scale hydrogen, thermal, and natural gas storage in salt caverns. During low renewable energy periods, the stored energy will be used to generate low-carbon power via compressed air, thermal energy, and hydrogen-compatible gas turbines.
Furthermore, the facility aims to produce affordable low-carbon hydrogen through methane pyrolysis technology, which EnergyPathways has exclusive rights to in the UK. The hydrogen produced will bolster the MESH power generation system, and a high-grade synthetic graphite will be the by-product.
In addition to supplying low-carbon electricity to the grid, the hydrogen produced is expected to support the UK's Project Union hydrogen network, aiding emissions reductions across the energy sector.
This storage project is projected to become operational by 2030, pending government approvals and financing, to help achieve the government’s 2030 Clean Power goals and facilitate the UK's energy transition.