EnergyPathways PLC (AIM:EPP) CEO Ben Clube talked with Proactive about the UK government’s recent designation of the company’s flagship MESH project as “nationally significant” — a major milestone under the Planning Act 2008. Clube explained that this classification helps streamline the planning and approval process, accelerating the project’s timeline with a view to being operational by 2030.
The MESH project is central to the UK’s Clean Power 2030 goals, offering both long-duration energy storage and low-cost hydrogen production. Clube emphasized that “we think we can produce hydrogen at the lowest cost relative to two other technologies available to the UK market.”
EnergyPathways has secured key partnerships with Siemens Energy, Costain, Zenith Energy, Hazar Group, and KBR Inc., each contributing to the integrated clean energy system — including compressed air energy storage and methane pyrolysis hydrogen production. Siemens is a core technology partner for energy storage, while Hazar and KBR support hydrogen development.
Clube also discussed recent capital raised from investors and directors, confirming that the company has now entered the FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) stage. “There’s a lot of demand, we think, to backing the company through FEED and through the development cycle,” he added.
The company expects several upcoming milestones as it navigates the Planning Act process and advances project approvals.
Proactive: Ben, very good to speak with you. The government's designated MESH as nationally significant. What does the status mean in practical terms for project timelines and approvals?
Ben Clube: Well, the designation is a critical milestone for the MESH project in that the government has recognized that the project has national significance from the UK's energy system and energy transition point of view. It enables the project to fall under the Planning Act 2008, which allows the government to progress important projects through a planning process that is essentially a fast-tracking exercise.
Ben Clube: At the end of the day, the MESH project is targeting to contribute to Clean Power 2030 objectives of the government. We're looking to be operational by 2030.
Proactive: So, would you describe it then as a significant milestone for the company?
Ben Clube: Oh, absolutely. It's an important milestone for the company and for investors in the UK's energy transition space. It gives confidence that the government backs projects such as MESH, which we think will make a meaningful contribution to the UK's clean energy and net zero goals.
Proactive: You signed agreements with Costain, Zenith Energy and Siemens. How do these partnerships advance MESH towards that final investment decision?
Ben Clube: The partnerships are with some of the global leaders in clean energy technologies and development. We're really pleased to have these companies on board and supporting the project. They obviously see the potential of the MESH project — that’s why they're participating.
Ben Clube: The critical part of what we're doing is addressing a key issue the UK faces — billions of pounds of value being lost due to wasted wind power and wind curtailment. The solution to that is energy storage, and what MESH offers is a solution that can store excess wind power at scale and over long periods of time. Our key partner in that respect is Siemens Energy, who are a leader in long-duration energy storage and the system we're developing, which is compressed air systems.
Ben Clube: We’re also developing what will be a large-scale hydrogen production facility as part of the total integrated project. We have exclusive rights to hydrogen production technology called methane pyrolysis. That partnership is with Hazar Group Limited and KBR Inc. With that, we think we can produce hydrogen at the lowest cost relative to two other technologies available to the UK market.
Proactive: In your interim results last week, you noted that you recently raised additional funding from investors and directors. How far will this capital take the company and what are the next funding priorities?
Ben Clube: It puts us on the path. We are straight into FEED activities now with this decision. We’ll be developing our investment portfolio and financing options with those funds. We’re already getting significant interest. There's a lot of demand, we think, to backing the company through FEED and through the development cycle.
Proactive: And the upcoming milestones that your investors should be looking out for?
Ben Clube: There’ll be a number of milestones as we progress through the Planning Act 2008 process and as we move through the FEED progress on various compartments of the project, and various further approvals from the government as we move through that project.
Proactive: Ben, I hope you'll continue to keep us updated with your progress. Thank you very much for speaking with us today.