- Two trailblazing carbon capture projects to break ground, securing 500 good jobs through the clean energy superpower mission
- World-leading carbon capture technology to be built at cement works in Flintshire, North Wales, alongside first-of-a-kind waste-to-energy facility in Cheshire, delivering growth for the regions
- Jobs secured due to government’s £9.4 billion investment into Carbon Capture at the Spending Review
500 skilled clean energy jobs will be secured for workers in North Wales and the North West as 2 trailblazing carbon capture projects get ready for construction.
The UK’s first carbon capture-enabled cement plant at Padeswood, developed by Heidelberg Materials UK, and one of the world’s first full-scale carbon capture-enabled waste-to-energy facilities at Protos in Ellesmere Port, developed by Encyclis, have signed final contracts with government to begin construction. The 2 projects will provide highly skilled opportunities for Britain’s engineers, construction workers, technicians and health and safety experts.
Cement and waste-to-energy production are carbon-intensive and have no route to cut emissions without carbon capture. As the government accelerates to net zero, Padeswood and Protos will deploy world-leading technologies to remove 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 annually, forging a cleaner future with secure, long-term jobs for workers and businesses in the cement and waste-to-energy industries.
The projects will serve as the launch-point for exporting British technology, innovation and expertise abroad, creating economic opportunities for UK-based companies across the world – boosting growth and giving British business a competitive edge in the global green economy.
These are the first 2 anchor projects to join Eni’s Liverpool Bay Transportation & Storage network, part of the HyNet carbon capture cluster which was green-lit by the Prime Minister in April, after years of delay in getting the industry moving. As a key pillar of the modern Industrial Strategy, the government further backed carbon capture in June’s Spending Review with £9.4 billion over this Parliament to revitalise Britain’s industrial heartlands with good, skilled jobs for working people.
Today’s announcement is that investment in action – shovel-ready projects, jobs secured, and growth locked in for decades to come across North Wales and the North West.
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.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
We are making the UK a clean energy superpower while delivering the well-paid, highly-skilled jobs of the future.
It is fantastic to see North Wales at the forefront of carbon capture and the hundreds of new jobs being created by these projects will help drive regional growth as well as accelerating our drive towards lower bills and energy security.
HyNet is a network of new and repurposed infrastructure, such as pipelines, spanning North Wales and the North West which will capture carbon emissions and store them safely underground.
Both projects have now signed contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company, marking their final investment decisions. With this milestone reached, projects are expected to move into the construction phase shortly. The projects directly support 500 skilled jobs, as part of the 2,800 jobs across the wider HyNet network.
Padeswood and Protos carbon capture projects also provide long-term job security for workers in the cement and waste industries by providing a crucial route to decarbonisation for the sectors, preserving these proud British industries as we reach net zero.
By investing in proven carbon capture technology, the government is positioning Britain as a global leader on net zero while protecting skilled manufacturing jobs for future generations.
Simon Willis, CEO of Heidelberg Materials UK, said:
Our constructive partnership with the UK government has allowed us to reach this major milestone, which is fantastic news, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole.
Our new facility at Padeswood will be a world-leader. It 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.
CCS is a growing sector worldwide and our Padeswood project is an exemplar, helping position the UK as a global force at the forefront of this technology. It will also pave the way to decarbonising our domestic cement industry, helping it remain competitive while mitigating against climate change.
Mark Burrows-Smith, Chief Executive of Encyclis said:
We have secured a once-in-a-generation opportunity to begin decarbonising waste treatment in the UK.
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.
We are not only building a carbon capture plant but setting the foundations for a new era of industry transformation which helps the UK achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets and manage its resources more efficiently.
Neil McDermott, Chief Executive at the Low Carbon Contracts Company said:
These 2 projects represent the role CCUS has to play in decarbonising Great Britain’s heavy industries and advancing energy from waste.
We’re thrilled to be the counterparty to these contracts, providing these first of kind projects the confidence and certainty to proceed.
Olivia Powis, CEO of the Carbon Capture & Storage Association (CCSA) said:
These world-leading projects – Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood and Encyclis’s Protos Energy Recovery Facility – show how carbon capture can provide credible, scalable pathways to net zero, securing the future of essential UK industries and keeping businesses competitive in global markets.
By capturing CO2 and transporting it via the HyNet network to Eni’s permanent storage in Liverpool Bay, these projects will cut emissions, support 500 skilled jobs, decarbonise essential waste treatment infrastructure and kickstart the UK’s new low carbon cement market, driving economic growth in local communities.
Notes to editors
Padeswood will capture around 800,000 CO2 emissions annually and Protos will capture 400,000 – taking the total to 1.2 million a year.
See the explainer on how CCUS technology works.
