A-CAES Demonstrator Plant Supply and Installation

Energy Coast West Cumbria Limited (trading as BEC) is seeking tenders for a complete Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) demonstrator plant to be installed at Westlakes Science Park in West Cumbria as part of the BEST CAES project. The successful supplier will design, manufacture, and deliver a factory-integrated, modular system that is transportable and above-ground. The system must include compression equipment, thermal storage, expansion equipment, compressed-air storage vessels, power electronics and control systems. Deliverables include the complete plant, specified testing, comprehensive documentation, operator training, and warranty support. The plant must achieve 0.333 MW charging capacity, 1.0 MW discharge capacity, and a minimum electrical round-trip efficiency of 80%. The maximum contract value is £1,600,000 (excluding VAT), with operational handover required by 30 June 2028. This is an open procurement procedure subject to funding confirmation, planning permissions, and necessary regulatory approvals. Long-term maintenance contracts and supplementary rapid-response hardware support are not included in this award.