Opening doors for Sherwood Power to scale its clean energy tech
Project complete
Sherwood Power is pioneering a new form of long-duration energy storage known as the Free Air Bank (FAB) that relies on compressed air.
With support from the Innovating for Transport and Energy Systems (ITES) programme led by Energy Systems Catapult, Sherwood Power conducted in-depth market and policy research, identified key regions for deployment, and secured a key commercial contact.
Key stats:
- Four pilot projects to showcase its energy storage solution
- A strategic partnership agreed with a major engineering firm to scale its innovation
- 2 priority regions identified for initial deployment
The challenge
Sherwood Power is a UK-based innovator developing the Free Air Bank (FAB), an advanced adiabatic (a process without transfer of thermal energy) compressed air energy storage system (AACAES) designed to store renewable energy and release it on demand. Unlike lithium-based batteries, FAB offers a cleaner, longer-lasting alternative with zero toxic waste and lower lifecycle costs.
India’s rapid urbanisation and growing energy demand have created an urgent need for scalable, sustainable storage solutions. However, entering the Indian market posed challenges: understanding unfamiliar regulatory environments and building local partnerships for manufacturing and distribution.
Sherwood Power needed to validate its technology’s relevance to India’s energy landscape and demonstrate its potential to support critical sectors including cold storage and pharmaceutical supply chains where stable, clean energy is essential.
The solution
Sherwood Power received tailored support focused on three key areas:
- Market intelligence: We conducted comprehensive market and policy research that helped Sherwood Power understand India’s energy storage needs, regulatory frameworks and regional priorities. Maharashtra and Gujarat were identified as high-potential regions for initial deployment, based on their industrial activity, energy demand and alignment with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
- Partnership development: ITES facilitated strategic introductions, leading to a partnership with a major international engineering firm. This was instrumental in shaping Sherwood Power’s market entry strategy and building credibility with Indian stakeholders.
- Pilot planning: We supported Sherwood Power in scoping and planning four pilot projects. These led to four separate projects supported by key government officials in Goa, one of which will go to trial – demonstrating the viability of the FAB system in real-world applications.
The impact
ITES’s whole-systems approach provided Sherwood Power with the tools, insights, and connections needed to accelerate its international growth. It secured:
- Four pilot projects in India with support from local state officials to demonstrate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the FAB system in key sectors.
- A strategic partnership with a global engineering firm to scale its innovation
Alex Hunter, CEO of Sherwood Power
"The ITES programme has been a massive catalyst for us at Sherwood Power as we look to scale internationally. The accelerator support gave us some fantastic strategic insights, but where the programme really bowled us over was the sheer quality of market access it handed us. Attending India Energy Week twice opened high-level doors we simply couldn't have knocked on alone. Right at our first event, we picked up a brilliant commercial contact. It's the kind of relationship that only happens when you have the Catapult’s backing and credibility behind you. That momentum snowballed into some invaluable political and industry introductions in Goa, leading to us presenting to the Institute of Engineers at the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. What's great about ITES is that the ecosystem they build actually lasts; those original contacts we made are now collaborating together on the ground in Goa to help drive our deployments forward.”
The project highlighted the broader applicability of Sherwood Power’s technology, particularly in areas where energy stability is vital.
By aligning its manufacturing plans with India’s ‘Make in India’ goals, Sherwood Power is well-positioned to now scale its operations and contribute to local economic development.
As India seeks to decarbonise its’ energy infrastructure, Sherwood Power’s innovation offers a compelling solution for clean, long-duration storage.
Alex Hunter said: “We’re now using this fantastic foundation to roll out our energy storage solutions across India, and we couldn’t have asked for a better launchpad than the ITES program.”
What’s next?
Sherwood Power’s journey shows how targeted support and strategic partnerships can unlock global opportunities. To explore how we can help test, refine and scale your innovation, email: info@es.catapult.org.uk