Ceres Power Holdings plc (LSE:CWR) and Centrica plc have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate deployment of multi‑gigawatt on‑site solid oxide power solutions for UK and European commercial and industrial customers.
The companies said the move responds to "electricity grid connection delays impacting new industrial, commercial and digital projects" and will offer high‑efficiency, low‑carbon, grid‑independent on‑site power that can be deployed faster than gas turbines or nuclear; Ceres' SOFC technology operates on natural gas today while providing "a clear pathway to other fuels such as biogas and hydrogen in the future" and is "inherently suited to carbon capture applications."
Under the deal Ceres will support Centrica in a service‑led model covering project origination, installation and commissioning, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and end‑of‑life recycling, and will supply technology through its ecosystem of global manufacturing partners.
Centrica will integrate its gas and power trading, fuel supply and structured energy contracts to offer long‑term cost certainty and optimisation into flexibility and balancing markets, the filing said. The partners are also exploring how Ceres' SOEC technology could integrate with Centrica's AMR programme to "produce nuclear‑enabled green hydrogen."
"Businesses across the UK and Europe need more power, and they need it faster than the electricity grids can deliver," said Centrica CEO Chris O'Shea.
"This partnership is about offering customers a reliable, efficient source of on‑site power that can be up and running quickly. By combining Ceres' technology with our energy expertise, we see a real opportunity to support data centres, AI and industry with cleaner power at scale, while helping to ease pressure on the grid and boost economic growth."
Phil Caldwell, Ceres CEO, added: "This partnership is a powerful realisation of British technology applied at global scale. Leveraging Centrica's energy capabilities and Ceres global network of world‑class manufacturing partners, we can deliver low‑carbon, high‑efficiency power solutions for the fast‑growing data centre and on‑site power sector in the UK and Europe."
