MESH Offshore Gas and Hydrogen Storage Scheme Enters Next Phase

EnergyPathways has launched the work program for its MESH offshore energy storage project after formally accepting a gas storage license for the development in the East Irish Sea.

The company plans to carry out a site survey in the third quarter of 2026 to collect environmental, geological and seabed data that will support engineering, regulatory and subsurface studies as the project moves into its next development phase.

The license area could accommodate up to 60 subsea salt caverns for large-scale energy storage, supporting compressed air energy storage (CAES), natural gas storage transitioning to hydrogen storage, and hydrogen production, subject to regulatory approvals and financing.

EnergyPathways said the MESH project, short for Marram Energy Storage Hub, which has been designated by the UK government as a project of national significance, is targeted to begin operations in 2031 and is expected to become the UK's largest integrated energy storage facility.

The company also welcomed Ofgem's decision to proceed with a second application window for its Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) cap-and-floor scheme, saying it intends to submit the compressed air energy storage element of the MESH project for consideration.