Texas outages offer CNE an opportunity

An Aberdeen start-up believes its mobile green battery technology may help prevent a repeat of the power cuts which crippled Texas during bone-chilling weather conditions earlier this year.

Bosses at Carbon Neutral Energy (CNE) said yesterday they were looking to set up a base in the southern US state just two months after launching in the Granite City.

The business was set up by serial entrepreneur and oil industry veteran Mark Patterson and his two sons, Harry and Philip.

In February they revealed plans to raise £300 million for CNE and create up to 200 jobs over the next five years.

They swiftly appointed marine and shipping industries veteran Callum Bruce as CNE’s first nonexecutive director to help the fledgling firm tap into those sectors.

The Pattersons said CNE had already invested heavily in systems which can store and supply green electricity, addressing the problem of intermittent supply from wind and solar farms – and inadequate power infrastructure.

Its eGen range includes smaller static units, which can be combined to make “mega storage banks” and larger mobile modules.

The company is now looking to fast-track its international expansion by establishing its first overseas base in Houston.

Millions were left without power in February when storms and sub-zero temperatures interrupted supply to natural gas-fired power plants and frozen wind turbines.

CNE sales director Philip Patterson said of the emergency: “Sources of electricity, like wind turbines, went offline and demand for the energy they produce went up.

“The crisis drew much attention to the state’s lack of preparedness for such storms.

“Damages from the blackouts were estimated at $195 billion (£138bn), making this the costliest disaster in Texas’s history.”

He added: “Battery storage is a vital in balancing the grid. Without storage, power emergencies such as those in Texas could occur again across the globe.

“With ongoing climate change, these events could become more frequent, so we believe the time to act is now and are getting into the US market early.

“Our vision is that our product range will help achieve greater efficiencies and build resilience into the Texas grid.”

CNE chairman and interim chief executive Mark Patterson added: “The ‘energy transition’ that is taking place will accelerate rapidly in the USA and presents a massive opportunity for CNE.

“Had I been 25 years younger, I would have seriously considered relocating there myself.

“As it is, we are presently recruiting for a CEO and looking for a suitable location in Houston where we will replicate what we are doing in the UK with local manufacturing and service in-country.”

Mark Patterson is credited with playing a key role in creating Aberdeenbased Balmoral Group.

He later joined Nautronix, in 1996, before teaming up with businessman Ian Suttie to acquire that business in 2002. It was sold to privateequity house SCF Partners in 2010.

More recently, Mr Patterson linked up with industry stalwarts Alasdair Locke and Paul Warwick to form decommissioning business Well-Safe Solutions in 2017.

He left Well-Safe in 2019 after securing a £66m investment from MW&L Capital Partners.

DOUBLE WHAMMY: Storms which hit homes and businesses caused outages as Texas also endured a deep freeze.