EnergyPathways (AIM:EPP), the UK energy transition company listed on AIM, has launched the work programme for its MESH offshore energy storage project following formal acceptance of a gas storage licence from the North Sea Transition Authority.
An extensive survey of the East Irish Sea is planned for the third quarter of 2026, with results intended to underpin regulatory, engineering and subsurface workstreams as the project moves toward its next development phase.
The licence covers an offshore area capable of supporting up to 60 large-scale salt storage caverns, with potential for multi-terawatt-hour scale integrated energy storage, subject to consents and financing.
MESH combines compressed air energy storage (CAES), natural gas storage transitioning to hydrogen, and hydrogen production. The UK Government has designated it a project of national significance, and the company is targeting a 2031 operational start.
The announcement coincides with Ofgem's confirmation, published on 26 June, that a second window of its cap and floor scheme for long duration energy storage (LDES) will proceed. EnergyPathways intends to enter the MESH CAES component into that second window, with Ofgem expected to provide further direction by the end of 2026.
"Establishing a robust investment framework is essential if the UK is to unlock the LDES infrastructure needed to support an electricity system capable of delivering affordable and reliable power," said CEO Ben Clube.
