Construction to start on world-leading decarbonised cement production

We have reached a FID (Final Investment Decision) with the UK Government to build the world’s first carbon capture facility to enable fully decarbonised cement production.

 

The announcement, made recently by Michael Shanks, Energy Minister in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, allows Heidelberg Materials to begin construction of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at their Padeswood cement works in north Wales.

 

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Our clean-energy mission means good jobs, regional growth, and investment for local communities.

 

“This trailblazing cement works 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 project.”

The funding decision aligns with the UK Government’s ambitions to reduce CO₂ emissions and deliver economic growth through construction.

 

The Padeswood project is the first of its kind in the UK and is Group’s first full-scale carbon capture facility to reach FID. Construction will start later this year and the facility will enable the production of evoZero carbon captured net zero cement for the construction industry in 2029.

 

The CCS project will bring significant economic benefits to north Wales through investment and job creation: it will protect over 200 jobs and create around 50 new ones, as well as up to 500 more during construction.

Cement is an essential construction material. It is the ‘glue’ in concrete, the most widely used building material in the world, but its production gives rise to CO₂. As these emissions result from the chemical process involved in cement’s manufacture, they cannot be avoided by using low carbon or renewable energy sources. The only way to remove them and produce the net zero cement the UK needs is to capture them using CCS before they enter the atmosphere.

 

The carbon capture facility at Padeswood is designed to capture almost all (around 95 per cent) of the CO₂ emissions from the process. The emissions captured from the kiln include biogenic CO₂ from biomass fuels, mainly from domestic food, wood and paper wastes that cannot be recycled, which could allow the cement produced at Padeswood to be net negative.*

 

The carbon captured at Padeswood will be compressed and transported via an underground pipeline for secure storage under the seabed in Liverpool Bay as part of the HyNet North West project.

 

CEO Simon Willis said: “Our constructive partnership with the UK Government has allowed us to reach this major milestone, which is fantastic news, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole.

 

“Our new facility at Padeswood will be a world-leader. It will capture around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year from our existing cement works, allowing us to produce evoZero carbon captured net zero cement, which will help the UK construction industry reach its decarbonisation aims.

 

“CCS is a growing sector worldwide and our Padeswood project is an exemplar, helping position the UK as a global force at the forefront of this technology. It will also pave the way to decarbonising our domestic cement industry, helping it remain competitive while mitigating against climate change.”