Highview Secures £130 Million to Launch Phase One of Hunterston Long-Duration Energy Storage Facility, Bringing Total Funding to Over £500 Million
Highview has announced the successful completion of a £130 million funding round to begin construction on the first phase of its ambitious 3.2GWh hybrid long-duration energy storage (LDES) facility in Hunterston, Ayrshire, Scotland. The investment marks a major milestone in the company’s mission to commercialise and deploy its advanced energy storage solutions, bringing its total raised capital to over £500 million to date.
The latest funding round includes participation from a consortium of major investors: the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB), Centrica, and global financial powerhouses such as Goldman Sachs, KIRKBI, and Mosaic Capital. The investment will primarily finance the construction of the project’s first phase—known as the “stability island”—which will deliver crucial system support services to the UK electricity grid.
Strengthening Grid Resilience Through Innovative Design
Highview’s stability island forms a vital component of its overall hybrid LDES architecture. Designed to operate independently of the main storage units, the stability island will provide essential grid stability services such as inertia, short circuit power, and voltage support. This capability is especially critical for the UK’s increasingly renewables-heavy grid, which faces mounting challenges due to the variable nature of wind and solar power generation.
Located at a strategic grid connection point, the Hunterston site will play an essential role in enhancing transmission efficiency from renewable generation sites in Scotland to population centres in England. By addressing local grid instability issues, the project will also reduce curtailment of wind energy, ensuring that more renewable power reaches consumers instead of being wasted.
According to Highview, the stability island will serve as a prototype for future grid stability assets to be deployed alongside long-duration energy storage systems across the UK.
Part of the Millennium Series of Energy Storage Facilities
The Hunterston project is the first in Highview’s new Millennium Series, a line of large-scale, hybrid long-duration energy storage plants that will total 3.2GWh of capacity across multiple UK sites. This series builds on Highview’s flagship 300MWh liquid air energy storage (LAES) facility currently under construction in Carrington, Manchester.
At Carrington, the first “stability island” is set to come online by August 2026, with the full LAES system scheduled for completion in 2027. Similarly, the Hunterston stability island is expected to be operational by January 2028, while the complete hybrid facility will come online by 2030.
Once fully developed, the Hunterston installation will integrate both liquid air storage and lithium-ion battery technology, creating a hybrid system that offers exceptional operational flexibility. This combination will allow the facility to discharge energy over long durations while responding dynamically to grid fluctuations—maximising efficiency and system reliability.
Recognised for Regulatory and Industry Support
The Hunterston energy storage element recently received a major boost when it was approved as an eligible project under Ofgem’s Cap and Floor scheme for long-duration energy storage. This recognition not only validates the project’s technical and economic viability but also reinforces the UK regulator’s commitment to incentivising long-term, low-carbon infrastructure.
The project’s counterpart facility at Killingholme, Lincolnshire, also qualified under the same scheme, underscoring the growing importance of such storage technologies in stabilising the UK’s energy network.
Economic and Regional Benefits
Located on the Peel Ports site in North Ayrshire, the Hunterston project promises to deliver significant economic benefits to the region. Construction of all project phases is expected to create 1,000 on-site jobs and support 650 additional roles in the wider supply chain.
Highview emphasised that the project will not only contribute to Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions but also stimulate skills development, local employment, and industrial innovation. The facility’s grid analytics capabilities will also provide the UK grid operator with advanced insights into current and future energy usage—helping to optimise grid management and planning.
Leadership Perspectives
Richard Butland, Chief Executive of Highview, described the investment as a transformative step in the company’s journey toward enabling a fully decarbonised energy system:
“This capital raise is an important milestone for Highview, enabling us to build out the first phase of our long-duration energy facility at Hunterston. By delivering much-needed grid services in this location, our stability island asset will prevent costly curtailment and maximise the renewable energy that we generate in the UK.
Through the delivery of this phase and building on the lessons learned at our Carrington facility, we are also developing and strengthening our UK supply chain. This in turn supports future Highview projects, as well as the UK’s wider green economy, driving skills development, job creation, and economic growth across the country.”
Mark Munro, Chief Investment Officer at the Scottish National Investment Bank, highlighted the strategic importance of Highview’s technology for Scotland’s energy transition:
“Wind production curtailment and intermittency continue to be challenges across the supply chain. As Scotland scales its renewable energy production, it’s critical that grid resilience is fortified so that more of it can be used.
Working in partnership with Highview, our investment in this exciting project will deliver vital infrastructure to help ensure a more stable, clean energy future.”
Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica, echoed these sentiments, emphasising the importance of energy storage in balancing the future grid:
“Low carbon storage is an essential part of the solution for how we manage the energy system of the future, and Highview’s LDES system is the kind of innovative facility that is needed as the UK transitions to a more intermittent energy mix from renewables.
Hunterston’s grid and analytics services will also enable the UK grid operator to better balance supply and demand challenges and help ensure our customers have electricity available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. We’re proud to strengthen our partnership with Highview as an investor as well as continuing to share our expertise on the energy transition and power storage.”
A New Era for Long-Duration Energy Storage
Highview’s Hunterston facility represents a landmark investment in the UK’s long-duration energy infrastructure, demonstrating both government and private sector confidence in innovative storage technologies. As renewable generation continues to grow, projects like Hunterston are set to play a pivotal role in securing grid stability, reducing waste, and ensuring reliable power supply across the country.
With more than half a billion pounds now invested and two large-scale projects under way, Highview is positioning itself at the forefront of the global long-duration energy storage revolution—helping to bridge the gap between renewable generation and reliable, affordable electricity for all.
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