TATA’S Winnington Works will be home to a UK-first when an industrial-scale carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) demonstration plant is built on site.

Tata Chemicals Europe (TCE) has today, Thursday, unveiled the full plans for the project, which will reduce carbon emissions while ensuring a secure, sustainable supply of carbon dioxide.

The scheme also marks a world first in capturing and purifying CO2 from power generation plant emission gases for use in the manufacturing process.

It is seen as an important step in decarbonising industrial activity, and supports the government’s target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Planning permission was granted earlier in June, and operations are scheduled to begin in 2021. The £16.7m project will be funded by TCE and backed by a £4.2m government grant.

READ >>> Plans submitted for UK-first CO2 capture plant at Tata Winnington Works

Chris Skidmore, Energy and Clean Growth Minister at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), said: “Cutting edge technology to capture carbon will cut emissions as we work towards a net zero economy, while creating new jobs – a key part of our modern Industrial Strategy. This innovative project from TCE represents a major milestone in efforts to rollout carbon capture at scale by the 2030s.”

Northwich Guardian:

With CCU technology, the TCE plant will capture carbon dioxide from the flue gases of its 96MWe gas-fired combined heat and power plant, which supplies steam and power to the company’s Northwich operations and other industrial businesses in the area.

The CCU plant will then purify and liquefy the gas for use directly in the manufacture of sodium bicarbonate.

TCE says the plant will reduce emissions, as captured CO2 will be used in the manufacturing process rather than being emitted into the atmosphere.

The CCU plant will be capable of capturing and producing up to 40,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide and will reduce TCE’s carbon emissions by 11 per cent.

Northwich Guardian:

TCE MD Martin Ashcroft said: “The CCU demonstration plant will enable us to reduce our carbon emissions, whilst securing supplies of a critical raw material, helping to grow the export of our products across the world.

“Implementing this industry leading project, with such strong environmental and operational benefits is hugely exciting, and we’re pleased to be working closely with BEIS to deliver the demonstration plant.

“We hope that this project will demonstrate the viability of CCU and pave the way for further applications of the technology to support the decarbonisation of industrial activity.

“Our parent company, Tata Chemicals Ltd, has supported this innovative project, enabling our UK operations to continue to reduce its carbon emissions.

“This project is a great example of business and Government working together to rise to the challenge of decarbonising industrial production.”

TCE is the UK’s only manufacturer of soda ash and sodium bicarbonate and is one of the UK’s leading producers of salt, as well as being its largest single-site user of liquid carbon dioxide.