How Leeds-based C-Capture aims to protect the environment as it cuts carbon emissions

C-Capture, the developers of chemical processes for carbon dioxide removal, has secured £1.7m in funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy's £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).

The funding is part of the £20 million Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Innovation 2.0 programme aimed at accelerating the deployment of next-generation CCUS technology in the UK.

A spokesman said: "C-Capture will use the funding to finance a major, national £2.7m project today as a critical step in the race to net zero.

"The multi-industry, multi-million-pound project will see C-Capture’s unique, next-generation carbon capture technology deployed on numerous sites across the country, within industries that are particularly difficult to decarbonise. It will demonstrate that a low-cost, carbon capture technology is a credible solution in the fight against climate change.

"The compatibility of C-Capture’s unique, solvent-based technology will be trialled and assessed with real-world flue gas across three hard-to-abate sectors – at sites owned by project partners Hanson Cement, part of the Heidelberg Group, Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (BIG), Glass Futures and one of their member sites Pilkington UK Ltd – in conjunction with consulting and engineering company, Wood."

"The project ‘XLR8 CCS – accelerating the deployment of a low-cost carbon capture solution for hard-to- abate industries’ will deliver feasibility studies and deploy carbon capture solvent compatibility units (CCSCUs) across the cement and Energy from Waste (EfW) and – in a world first – the glass industry."

Glass and cement industries are essential to the economy but also major carbon dioxide (CO2) contributors.

Concrete is the most consumed material by weight globally after water and one of its key ingredients is cement. The cement industry is valued at approximately £1bn and produces approximately 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 in the UK each year.

The UK’s glass industry contributes around £2bn every year to the economy and emits more than two million tonnes of CO2 annually in the UK.

A spokesman said: "CCUS has been identified as an essential component in the route to decarbonisation but barriers to adopting CCUS technology currently exist – such as technology maturity, flue gas compatibility in multiple industries, and cost. XLR8 CCS aims to alleviate these barriers, demonstrating the robust performance of C-Capture’s innovative technology in removing CO2 within hard-to-abate industries. The project will demonstrate that a credible, low-cost carbon capture solution is a reality for difficult-to-decarbonise industries in the race to net zero."

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Hands, said: “As we accelerate the UK’s energy independence by boosting clean, home-grown, affordable energy, it’s crucial that our industries reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

“This investment will help them to not only cut emissions, but also save money on energy bills, on top of supporting jobs by encouraging green innovation across in the UK.”

Tom White, CEO, C-Capture, said: "The amount of CO2 being generated and released into the atmosphere is currently at a scale that is hard to imagine. The deployment of carbon capture technology is essential – and urgent – to achieve net zero by 2050.

"Our solution has the potential to be a game changer for carbon capture. It uses less energy than currently available technology meaning it can significantly reduce the cost of carbon capture to a point that makes it affordable globally. It is also environmentally benign, well suited to the large-scale capture of CO2 and robust enough to withstand even the most aggressive flue gases. These advantages mean it has potential to break the barriers that are preventing the widespread adoption of carbon capture and storage technology, to mitigate the impacts of climate change."