Projects to capture carbon from cement and burning waste set for construction

Two “trailblazing” projects to capture carbon from cement production and waste incineration are set to begin construction, the Government has announced.

The schemes in Flintshire, North Wales, and Cheshire will secure 500 skilled clean energy jobs, as the first two projects to join Eni’s Liverpool Bay transportation and storage network which will store carbon emissions captured from a range of industries under the sea, officials said.

It is part of the HyNet carbon capture cluster given the green light by the Prime Minister in April, as the Government attempts to drive forward the technology which climate advisers have said is a key part of cutting the UK’s carbon emissions to zero overall by 2050, known as net zero.

Technology to capture carbon dioxide and pipe it to long-term storage deep underground or under the sea is seen as important in tackling emissions from industrial processes, hydrogen production and gas power plants.

The Government has pledged nearly £22 billion in support over 25 years to develop carbon capture clusters in Merseyside and Teesside to create thousands of jobs, draw in private investment and help the UK meet its climate goals, with £9.4 billion of investment announced at the spending review.

The two projects ready to break ground after signing final contracts with the Government include the UK’s first carbon capture-enabled cement facility at Padeswood, Flintshire, developed by Heidelberg Materials UK.

One of the world’s first full-scale waste-to-energy facilities enabled with carbon capture technology will begin construction at Protos, in Ellesmere Port, in a project developed by Encyclis.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said cement and waste-to-energy production were both carbon intensive and had no route to cutting emissions without carbon capture technology.

The two projects are expected to remove 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, when the infrastructure is up and running.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Our clean energy mission means good jobs, regional growth, and investment for local communities.

“These trailblazing projects showcase North Wales and the North West’s workforce on the global stage – leading the charge in the clean industries of the future and powering Britain’s reindustrialisation.”

Simon Willis, chief executive of Heidelberg Materials UK, said the new facility “will capture around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year from our existing cement works, allowing us to produce evoZero net zero cement, which will help the UK construction industry reach its decarbonisation aims”.

And Mark Burrows-Smith, chief executive of Encyclis, said: “This first full-scale carbon capture deployment in the UK enables us to continue providing an essential treatment service for non-recyclable waste while reducing carbon emissions, creating new skilled jobs and clearing a pathway for wider adoption across the industry.”