Heidelberg Materials has confirmed that construction will start on its flagship Padeswood carbon capture facility this year, following the signing of a funding agreement.
The agreement with the UK Government enables the Padeswood CCS project in North Wales to progress with an estimated operational date of 2029.
Padeswood CCS will be Heidelberg Materials’ second facility that enables the production of evoZero following the launch of the Brevik CCS facility earlier this year in Norway. Brevik has a 50 per cent capture capacity while the Padeswood facility is expected to be able to capture all of the North Wales’ plant’s CO₂ emissions when operational.
“The UK Government has created a strong and supportive framework for industrial decarbonisation, which should serve as a blueprint for other countries in Europe,” Heidelberg Materials managing board member Jon Morrish said.
“We applaud its commitment to helping de-risk and enable a successful business case for projects like Padeswood CCS. It will be our second plant in Europe to produce evoZero carbon captured net-zero cement, helping our customers and the wider construction industry achieve their climate targets.”
Heidelberg Materials will use its learnings from the Brevik CCS project which is one of the world’s first industrial-scale CCS facility in a cement plant. Padeswood CCS will produce net-zero cement by capturing almost all of the CO₂ emissions from the kiln and the combined heat and power (CHP) plant.
“Padeswood CCS represents a transformative leap for the entire hard-to-abate sector, both from a technological and a sustainability perspective. With evoZero from Padeswood, we will enable ambitious sustainable construction projects with measurable and verifiable CO₂ reductions – driving real change and shaping the future of our built environment,” Heidelberg Materials chief sustainability and new technologies officer Dr Katharina Beumelburg said.
The CO₂ captured at Padeswood will be compressed and transported via an underground pipeline before arriving at a secure storage facility in the Liverpool Bay. The Padeswood CCS project is expected to provide 50 new jobs as well as up to 500 during construction.
“This trailblazing project in a cement plant showcases the North Wales workforce on the global stage – leading the charge in the clean industries of the future and powering Britain’s reindustrialisation through this UK-first venture,” UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero energy minister Michael Shanks said.
