The report shows how liquid air could help balance an electricity grid increasingly dominated by
intermittent renewables; provide strategic energy storage to keep the lights on; sharply reduce CO2 and
tail-pipe emissions from vehicles; and convert low grade waste heat into usable energy throughout the
economy.

Published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures, Liquid Air Energy Network and University of
Birmingham, the report explains how ‘wrong time’ renewable energy could be used to liquefy air as a
means of storing energy, which could then be used to generate electricity when needed, and provide a
convenient and low cost fuel for vehicles including buses and lorries. The range of potential applications
is so wide that it could even be described as a ‘liquid air economy’.

Professor Richard, pro-vice chancellor, University of Birmingham, comments: “While the idea of a ‘liquid air economy’ is no silver bullet, it does offer a unique combination of energy, environmental and
economic benefits. What’s more, since liquid air is based on existing components and supply chains, a
liquid air economy could develop far sooner than some other approaches.”

A number of UK technologies are in development and demonstration with significant Government
support, including transport applications starting field trials next year.