EnergyPathways has published an update as it pushes to engage with stakeholders on its proposed Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project in the UK Irish Sea off the coast of Northwest England. The update outlines the socioeconomic and environmental benefits associated with MESH, with the company winning to win over groups like the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and local MPs. EnergyPathways published the briefing document, outlining the conclusions from its hydrogen and clean energy pre-front end engineering design (pre-FEED) activities. The document also seeks to highlight the role that hydrogen and compressed air storage technologies can play in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, in helping to drive the UK energy transition and in enhancing energy security. The MESH project is designed to combine a number of technologies, initially storing natural gas and power generated from offshore wind in the Irish Sea, before being expanded to include hydrogen storage as the UK’s hydrogen economy develops. EnergyPathways moved to expedite the project towards the end of last year, citing changes to the regulatory and fiscal environment in the UK under the Labour government, which came into power in July. The company has touted MESH as a project that could help the UK meet both its energy security and decarbonisation goals. Since then, EnergyPathways has hit various milestones with the development of MESH, including entering into a £5.1m loan facility and selecting Wood as the lead engineering partner. The company also secured licence operatorship approval for Block 110/4a, which includes the MESH site, in January. On schedule and on track In its latest update, EnergyPathways said pre-FEED activities were on schedule and on track for a final investment decision (FID), subject to the necessary outstanding licences being granted. “We have received indications from the government that a decision on awarding the gas

The North Sea has long been the backbone of Britain’s energy security and economic prosperity. Today, we stand at a pivotal moment that will determine whether this vital asset continues to drive our national success or becomes a missed opportunity. The North Sea Transition Taskforce’s report reveals an urgent challenge: a potentially damaging gap is emerging between the North Sea’s current oil and gas operations and its renewable energy potential. This isn’t just about an industrial transition—it’s a national imperative. The risks are clear. Without decisive action, we could see a premature decline in oil and gas production, loss of critical skills, and degradation of existing infrastructure. Meanwhile, renewable investments are stalling, threatening our net-zero ambitions and economic resilience. We’re not advocating for endless fossil fuel extraction. Instead, we’re calling for a strategic, measured approach that recognises the North Sea’s ongoing importance. Critically, North Sea gas remains lower in carbon intensity than imported alternatives. Every barrel we responsibly extract keeps jobs in the UK, generates exchequer revenues, and supports our energy security. Our recommendations are straightforward. First, the government must replace the current Energy Profits Levy with a predictable, stable fiscal regime that encourages long-term investment. Second, we need clarity on environmental requirements and drilling permissions, particularly for already consented fields. Third, we must commit to a consistent, long-term pipeline of support for renewable investments. Most importantly, this transition requires unprecedented collaboration. We’re proposing a national mission approach, with a ministerially led committee bringing together UK and Scottish governments, agencies, industry, and unions. This isn’t about political point-scoring—it’s about creating a comprehensive, decades-long plan that transcends short-term political cycles. The opportunity is immense. By repurposing existing skills and infrastructure, we can transform the North Sea into a global renewables powerhouse. Offshore wind, carbon capture, and hydrogen technologies aren’t just alternatives—they’re

Centrica executives have met with energy secretary Ed Miliband to discuss the future of the Rough gas storage facility in the North Sea. The UK energy company’s group chief executive Christopher O’Shea and the managing director of Centrica Energy Storage Martin Scargill recently attended a meeting with Miliband and others at the Hull Chamber of Commerce. “We’re in discussions with [government] at a high level to find a way to keep Rough open as a key strategic asset for the UK,” O’Shea said. “I can’t go into any details of the discussions but I am hopeful that HMG (Her Majesty’s Government) will be able to move quickly enough to enable this crucial asset to remain open.” He indicated in February that Centrica was yet to decide on a direction for the Rough gas storage site, after the company revealed an anticipated loss at Centrica Energy Storage, stating that “as it currently stands, we wouldn’t be refilling it”. The owner of the country’s largest gas storage facility is seeking to refit the asset as part of a £2 billion refurbishment so that it can function as a hydrogen storage facility. Centrica has said that it is seeking to secure a cap-and-floor mechanism to operate the asset. At the height of the energy crisis, the licence to operate the Rough gas storage facility was renewed, but it is now due to expire in 2030. A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said that the discussions did not go “into detail”, but that the government’s position “remains what it was before”. “We’re not providing updates on what that will look like but we’re having discussions with Centrica about it. Everything’s on the table on what the future would be just as long as it provides value for money,” the

With 2024 going down in the history books as the first year to surpass 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the spotlight is firmly on accelerating the global net zero agenda and delivering the solutions necessary to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. The transition from fossil sources to lower-carbon technologies has significantly increased the demand for essential minerals and rare earth elements, such as copper, lithium, and cobalt, and has consequently emerged as a key part of resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Minerals and rare earths are used extensively in devices such as smartphones, computers, and TVs, but are also critical components in the clean energy and defence industries. Although rare earth elements are abundant in the earth’s crust, they are typically mixed with other minerals, making them difficult and costly to extract and process. © BloombergNeodymium at the Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Co. factory in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Photographer:Nelson Ching/Bloomberg The global production of rare earth has surged over the last 30 years, increasing from around 75 kilotonnes in 1995 to over 350 kilotonnes in 2023. The increasing demand has in turn highlighted that achieving the global net zero agenda is intrinsically linked to accessing mineral and rare earth elements. Providing context, a typical electric car requires around 200 kg of minerals and rare earths, including batteries and motors, which is up to six times greater than that of a comparable combustion engine car, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA also highlights that offshore wind requires approximately 15 tonnes of critical minerals per megawatt (t/MW) capacity, with onshore wind and solar photovoltaics requiring up to ten t/MW and 7 t/MW, respectively. The production of rare earths will need to increase sevenfold by 2040 to meet the needs of the clean energy sector

Demand-side flexibility, which is the ability to shift or shed electricity consumption during peak times, is an underestimated but critical part of expanding clean power systems. As future power systems will largely rely on variable generation from wind and solar, demand flexibility across growing electricity users can reduce strain on the grid by smoothing peaks, offsetting more expensive and often higher-emitting generation, and therefore reduce costs and speed up decarbonisation. Demand flexibility is already here today, as consumers can dynamically adjust some consumption and save money in response to price signals; however, the opportunity is even greater as the scale of automated responses grows. For example in 2023, Octopus energy customers on an “Agile” tariff saved hundreds of pounds (versus being on a standard tariff), through shifting energy use. Examples of demand flexibility include: charging electric vehicles (EVs) during off-peak hours, heating or cooling rooms a few hours ahead of need in insulated buildings (“pre-heating” or “pre-cooling”), and thermal energy solutions that store and discharge heat for industrial processes (“industrial heat batteries”), lessening peak loads and reducing electricity bills. Data centres also have some potential to perform non-critical data processes at low electricity demand periods – and companies with international operations could choose to shift loads across geographies, taking advantage of regional fluctuations in supply and demand. Demand flexibility offers an affordable, secure route to planning future energy systems, helping to lower upfront investment needs, system running costs and consumer bills. While the expansion of grid capacity and energy storage remain critical for future systems, thanks to the growth of electrification and automated flexibility solutions, demand is now poised to play a larger role in helping to actively balance power systems. Demand flexibility could also help to offset immediate needs for grid upgrades, reducing uptake barriers as electrification expands. Recent analysis from

Precision engineering group Hunting has added three fresh contracts worth around $38 million to its subsea technologies sales order book. This has increased the value of its book from $72.5m recorded on 31 December 2024, to approximately $85m as of 31 March 2025. The group’s Enpro business secured decommissioning contracts with two clients in the North Sea, totalling roughly $23m. The clients will utilise Hunting’s proprietary solutions for the attic oil recovery phase of these decommissioning projects. These awards are part of multi-year decommissioning programmes in the North Sea, with the possibility of further orders being awarded in 2026. The awards demonstrate Enpro’s ability to provide subsea solutions from first-production to decommissioning, utilising the company’s modular product solutions. In addition, Hunting secured a new order for its titanium stress joints for a project in the Gulf of Mexico, with a major oil and gas company. The order totals around $15m and represents a new client for the group for this product line. Hunting chief executive Jim Johnson said: “The progress delivered by our subsea businesses during Q1 2025 demonstrates that our widening product offering accesses the whole lifecycle of an oil and gas field, from first-production to abandonment. “Further, with the securing of new titanium stress joint orders with a new client in the Gulf of Mexico, Hunting has demonstrated that our leading riser solution is increasingly being adopted by the majors and large Independents operating in deepwater regions.” Hunting recently undertook a $17.5m buyout for organic oil recovery (OOR) technology. The company has also been looking to restore profitability to its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business. This restructuring has led to concerns for 200 jobs across the UK, including at its base in Altens, known as Badentoy, as well as the Scottish village of Fordoun and its