Energy Generation, Storage and Carbon Capture Zone

The energy generation, storage and carbon capture zone is for researching, testing, de-risking and demonstration of equipment. This equipment is normally of a scale larger than that of the ESHIE research laboratory, and sufficient to interact and influence the operation of the connecting Northern Gas Networks’ and Northern Powergrids’ respective distribution systems.

Click on the projects below to learn more of what is going currently happening in this zone.

Northern Gas Networks Solar Array

Northern Gas Networks are investing in a 195 kW solar PV array to be installed on the InTEGReL site.

This project will enable clean, renewable electricity to be generated on site to offset the increased electrical demand introduced by developing the InTEGReL initiative.

Furthermore, the solar PV array will provide a test bed to research, test, de-risk and demonstrate complementary technologies and their associated control algorithms responding in real-time to the power generated.

Northern Powergrid Li-ion Storage Facility

Northern Powergrid are investing in a 100 kVA / 200 kWh li-ion storage facility to increase both the import and export electrical connection capacity of the 11 kV incomer to the site without traditional reinforcement.

50MW Power-to-gas

A desk-top feasibility study, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has been undertaken to examine the potential deployment of large-scale Power-to-Gas energy storage.

The focus was on deployments capable of operating cost-effectively from 50MW energy storage capacity upwards within the boundaries of the Northern Gas Networks gas distribution network.

Four locations would be suitable for a large-scale first-of-a-kind power-to-gas demonstration supplying the stored energy to either majority domestic or industrial customers gas customers. Of the four locations InTEGReL was recommended as the most suitable site for deployment of a large-scale first-of-a-kind power-to-gas demonstration facility in the size range 50-100MW.

InTEGReL is capable of supporting large scale Power-to-Gas throughout the year from peak demands in winter, to the lower demand conditions experienced in the summer months. Hydrogen injected at InTEGReL would deliver stored energy in the form of low carbon gas to over 243,000 customers. Also, InTEGReL’s close proximity to the A1 and the urban centres of Newcastle and Gateshead would provide opportunity for local export of hydrogen necessary to develop a local hydrogen refuelling station network which would enable fuel cell electric vehicles to travel from London to Aberdeen.

Work is ongoing to both develop the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), and finance the development of the large-scale first-of-a-kind power-to-gas demonstration facility.