Heidelberg Materials UK CEO Simon Willis has welcomed the UK government's pledge of £21.7bn to fund projects that capture greenhouse gases from polluting plants and store them underground as it races to reach strict climate targets.
The plans, announced today, are designed to generate private investment and jobs in Merseyside and Teesside, two industry-heavy areas home to the new ‘carbon capture and storage clusters’. The 25-year funding programme will be delivered in subsidies from 2028.
“Today’s announcement from the Government to drive ahead with investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) clusters is a major milestone in the decarbonisation of UK industry and sets the construction sector on the path to net zero,” said Willis.
“As part of the HyNet North West decarbonisation cluster, we are bringing forward our plans for the first carbon capture and storage plant at a UK cement works at Padeswood [near Mold] in north Wales. The Government’s backing of this critical technology means that the production of zero-carbon cement before the end of this decade has taken a big step forward.
“The Government’s commitment also provides assurance that it is supportive of UK industry’s transition to a low carbon future – where the building materials we rely on to construct and maintain our homes, schools and hospitals and major infrastructure continue to be produced here. It will also secure and create highly skilled jobs for the future.”
Cement is a key component of concrete, the world’s most widely used building material, but its production is carbon intensive. A large proportion of the related CO₂ emissions come from the chemical process involved in making cement. CCS means they would be removed by capturing them before they enter the atmosphere.
Heidelberg Materials UK’s (HMUK) Padeswood project will bring significant inward investment and opportunity to the region, boosting the north Wales economy and securing the long-term future of hundreds of skilled jobs. Once operational, the facility will provide net zero building materials for major projects across the country, helping to decarbonise the construction industry. HMUK recently completed its statutory consultation on installing a carbon capture plant at the site and has last month submitted its planning application to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).
HyNet North West aims to capture and store carbon emissions from energy, industry and hydrogen production across the North West of England and Wales – creating thousands of jobs, attracting private investment and helping the UK meet climate goals.
