The development of long-duration energy storage capacity is gaining importance as energy systems accommodate larger volumes of renewable generation. Jacobs has been selected by EnergyPathways plc to provide regulatory, consenting and development planning support for the MESH Energy Storage Project in the United Kingdom.
MESH is planned as a 300-megawatt, 55-gigawatt-hour energy storage development in the Irish Sea, with onshore infrastructure connecting to Barrow-in-Furness. EnergyPathways is targeting operations by 2031, subject to regulatory approvals and financing.
Jacobs will lead planning and Development Consent Order (DCO) activities for MESH under the U.K.'s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project planning framework.
The scope includes environmental planning, technical coordination and stakeholder engagement. Jacobs will also coordinate environmental and technical workstreams supporting EnergyPathways' application to Ofgem's proposed Long Duration Electricity Storage Cap and Floor mechanism.
Additional responsibilities include supporting the project's grid connection application, coordinating statutory consents and technical studies, and assessing changes in planning policy and legislation that could affect the consenting process.
The work will require coordination with local councils, regional government bodies and other stakeholders as the project progresses through its approval stages.
MESH is being developed as an integrated long-duration storage facility combining compressed air energy storage with natural gas and hydrogen storage.
The planned system is designed to provide more than 190 hours of energy storage. Its location in the Irish Sea and connection to infrastructure at Barrow-in-Furness position the development within the Northwest of England's broader energy infrastructure network.
Jacobs has developed expertise in compressed air energy storage since 2023, including technical assessments and cost-benefit analysis comparing the technology with other energy storage options.
The appointment also draws on Jacobs' experience with major U.K. infrastructure programs that have required Development Consent Order processes and environmental planning.
For project owners and infrastructure contractors, the MESH development highlights the regulatory and technical coordination required for large-scale energy storage projects. The DCO process, environmental assessment, grid connection and financial support mechanisms will need to progress in parallel as EnergyPathways works toward its proposed 2031 operational target.
The project's planned 300-MW capacity and 55-GWh storage volume also place long-duration energy storage among the infrastructure components being developed to support a more flexible U.K. electricity system.
Source: Jacobs.
