Ferrybridge: Yorkshire incinerator site to host 'groundbreaking' UK first carbon capture pilot

The technology supplied by HZI will be a scaled-down, containerised version of the CCS technology that could be applied to energy from waste facilities on a commercial scale.

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The unit will capture up to one tonne of CO2 per day from enfinium’s operations. The trial will run for at least 12 months and will be operational from July.

The pilot is the first of its kind mobilised in Europe.

It is part of enfinium’s longer-term ambitions to lead an investment of up to £800m in carbon capture and storage at its Ferrybridge 1 and 2 facilities. The company is also in the process of building a new energy from waste plant at Skelton Grange in Leeds, due to open in 2025.

It is hoped that site could also make use of carbon capture technology.

Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, said the pilot scheme is a vital step towards the potential widespread use of carbon capture technology.

“Installing carbon capture technology on energy from waste facilities is the only way the UK can decarbonise its unrecyclable waste.

"It also offers benefits including creating durable carbon removals, or negative emissions, at scale and generating reliable homegrown carbon negative power.

"This ground-breaking partnership with HZI will allow us to test multiple capture techniques that could in the future be deployed across our facilities at scale.”

Bruno-Frédéric Baudouin, CEO of HZI, added: “It gives us tremendous pride that with the support of the UK authorities and thanks to a strong collaboration with enfinium, we have the opportunity to help move the dial on the nation’s decarbonisation of its waste management infrastructure.

"The pilot will contribute significantly to our carbon capture knowledge base, which we are developing across several projects in Europe, and represents an important step not only towards to reducing CO2 emissions in our industry, but also towards making CO2 circular and driving down demand for fossil resources globally.”

Minister for Investment and Regulatory Reform, Lord Dominic Johnson has also welcomed the start of the pilot project.

“The Government is making sure the UK continues to be an attractive choice for green investment, creating jobs and opportunities across the country as we transition to net zero.

“I’m delighted enfinium with HZI has chosen the UK for this pilot project – another win for our country and a huge step to enabling the decarbonisation of the UK’s unrecyclable waste.”

The pilot will allow enfinium to compare different amine solvents and collect data on performance, such as CO2 capture rate, energy consumption, and solvent degradation.

HZI has provided engineering, procurement and construction services (EPC) to enfinium’s Ferrybridge 1 and 2 facilities and is also acting as the EPC partner on enfinium’s £500m Skelton Grange facility in Leeds.

Investment in ‘repair cafes’

​Waste operator enfinium has launched a support fund for ‘Repair Cafes’.

The company has committed £60,000 over a three-year period to help such sites within the vicinity of its UK operations fix repairable goods, reduce waste, and save families money.

A Repair Café is a community-based not-for-profit, often with charitable status, offering free repairs of common household items such as toasters, hoovers and bicycles. Every item repaired saves a family from the undue expense of buying a replacement.

Any Repair Café located within a 30-mile radius of one of enfinium’s facilities across Kent, North Wales, West Yorkshire or the West Midlands can apply for funding of up to £1,500 per year. The deadline for entries is May 31.