Enabling Liquid Air Energy Storage with Siemens

We were engaged by Siemens to develop a bespoke containerised solution to house cutting-edge liquid air energy storage technology at the world’s first commercial LAES plant in Bury, supporting efficient, long-duration energy storage and rapid grid response.

Our container design integrated complex plant and control systems within a durable, engineered enclosure that met Siemens’ stringent performance and safety requirements. This project highlights how our energy storage container conversions can enable innovative power system deployments that support renewable integration and flexible grid operation.

The Customer

June 2018 saw the official opening of the world’s first liquid air energy storage plant, designed and developed by Highview Power and housed at project partner Viridor’s, Pilsworth site in Bury.

The plant is enhanced with Siemens technology to provide instant energy on demand. The combined system can store enough energy for around 5000 homes for several hours, with a fast response.

Green shipping container conversion with full-height acoustic louvres and emergency exit door, designed to house industrial plant and equipment with ventilation and noise control for on-site energy or power applications.

The Challenge

Given their durability and versatile interiors, Siemens recognised that there would be many benefits to housing their technology inside a shipping container. As a result, Siemens reached out to S Jones directly to ensure their requirements for a containerised solution could be fully met.

3D CAD drawing of a bespoke containerised energy enclosure, showing a modified shipping container housing liquid air energy equipment with external access doors, ventilation panels, rooftop plant, and integrated access platform, designed for industrial energy storage and process applications.
Interior of a converted shipping container housing industrial electrical control panels, motors and pipework, showing a fully integrated plant room with grated flooring, cable management and engineered systems installation.

The Solution

Utilising a wealth of experience, S Jones delivered a number of innovative and vital elements to this revolutionary project, including;

  • Agile Digital Visualisation:  S Jones created a detailed 3D CAD design model of the container, which imported the relevant Siemens technology needed to power the plant. This visualisation was used in Siemens virtual reality simulator, enabling S Jones to guide the customer around the art of the possible, enabling quicker decision making and stakeholder engagement for the customer
  • Risk Mitigation: S Jones installed sound attenuated linings and a fire alarm system to ensure health and safety combined with corporate mitigations are adhered to throughout the life of the container plant.
  • Expert Engineering Knowledge: One of the biggest challenges of the container was creating enough space to accommodate the sheer scale of the technology required to run the plant efficiently. S Jones provided complex structural modifications, such as a galvanized steel roof platform and a sub floor stiffening structure to ensure the customer had peace of mind that the plant would run safely and effectively. 
  • In-house Proofing and Fabrication: S Jones provide end to end customer journey, from initial concepts through to the final design sign-off. S Jones completed the fabrication of the container in their workshop in the West Midlands, offering Siemens the opportunity to see their vision turned into a reality, every step of the way.

What Siemens Had to Say

Kevin Patterson, Project Manager, Siemens commented:

“S Jones provided a flexible approach to this prototype design allowing multiple design changes to be included throughout the build. This allowed our engineers to fully develop this world first concept. The results are a high quality solution, fully meeting our requirements”.

Engineers reviewing a virtual reality CAD model of a shipping container conversion, visualising internal equipment layout and access routes as part of the design and planning process for a bespoke containerised plant enclosure.

Need a Secure, Engineered Container Solution for Energy or Power Technology?

We design and deliver bespoke containerised housings for energy storage, power systems, and complex electrical infrastructure. Engineered for safety, performance, and integration of large-scale technology, our container conversions support innovative energy projects from prototype through to deployment.

Learn more about our container conversion capabilities or contact us today to discuss your project.

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