13th March 2023
Energy recovery provider Encyclis says the announcement of significant further investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a key step in the realisation of the UK’s net-zero ambition.
Encyclis is developing plans for a CCS plant to support its energy recovery facility (ERF) at the Protos energy innovation hub in Cheshire. The company is aiming to be among the first in the UK to integrate carbon capture into an operational ERF. Protos ERF has already been shortlisted for phase 2 of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) industrial carbon capture cluster sequencing programme.
Encyclis CEO Owen Michaelson said: “Plans for a CCS plant at our Protos energy recovery facility, which will capture upwards of 380,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, are now well developed. This investment will stimulate further collaboration across the supply chain, ultimately enabling us all to get behind the UK carbon network, which will have a multiplier effect on economic growth and job creation.
“Whilst Encyclis is leading the way with one of the UK’s first ERF CCS projects, success will be shared by all stakeholders when practical barriers to the delivery of carbon capture are resolved and the concept is proven at scale. This will attract the private investment required to deliver our net-zero ambitions.”
The inclusion of energy recovery in the carbon capture programme underlines its importance as an essential public hygiene service and as critical infrastructure that can help decarbonise and support the circular economy.
The CCS plant proposed for the ERF at Protos will capture upwards of 380,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, utilising the planned HyNet pipeline that will transport CO2 for storage in Liverpool Bay.
The ERF, currently under construction near Ellesmere Port, is being developed by Encyclis and Biffa, and will process up to 400,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste. This will help the UK achieve landfill diversion targets and strengthen self-sufficiency in waste management. The waste treatment process will additionally generate up to 49mW of electricity – enough to power 90,000 homes.
The facility is part of the Protos hub, which brings together innovative technologies, connecting energy-intensive businesses with sources of low-carbon energy. The hub has the potential to support over 3,000 jobs, with over £700m invested in the local area.
About Encyclis
Encyclis provides energy recovery services which turn residual waste into low-carbon electricity, heat and other reusable materials. Formerly known as Covanta Europe, our state-of-the-art energy recovery facilities support the transition to a circular economy by making productive use of residual waste that would otherwise go to landfill. With over 200 employees, our portfolio includes three facilities in the UK and Ireland, which operate 24/7 to collectively divert 1.5 million tonnes of waste from landfill every year and generate enough electricity to power nearly 300,000 homes. Further facilities are currently under construction. With expertise stretching back over three decades, extensive partnerships and continuous innovation, Encyclis provides a progressive solution for waste management. Visit www.encyclis.com for further information.