The UK Government has pledged almost £22bn worth of investment into CCUS innovation

At the start of the week, the UK became the first industrialised nation to stop using coal to produce power after Ratcliffe-on-Soar – their last remaining coal-fired power station – was decommissioned, marking the end of 150 years of British coal usage. 

Looking to breathe new life into the UK’s industrial sector, the government has pledged upwards of £21.7 billion into supporting the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) clusters in Merseyside & Teesside, promising to usher in a new era in the clean energy industry. 

The UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero, Ed Miliband stated that the project will “pave the way for securing the clean energy revolution that will rebuild Britain’s industrial heartlands” and is “essential if we are to decarbonise without industrialising”. 

To be delivered over 25 years, this funding will create 4,000 new jobs, support a further 50,000, and attract £8 billion worth of private investment, all with the aim of propelling the UK towards net zero by 2050. 

Read the official press release here. 

CCUS has been developed to battle a rapidly changing climate and with the UK having capacity for 200 years’ worth of emissions, it will be a powerful tool for tackling the climate crisis and moving us closer to a decarbonised economy.

As in previous years, CCUS will factor into Innovation Zero 2025’s content programme. In partnership with the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, the Industrial Forum will feature speakers from across the UK’s industrial sector – including representatives from regional clusters – who will explore the practical steps that need to be taken to actualise decarbonisation strategy. 

Speaking on the announcement, the CCSA's CEO Olivia Powis said, “The Government’s confirmed support for carbon capture and storage and low-carbon hydrogen demonstrates their commitment to the UK’s journey to net zero. Today’s announcement shows that decarbonisation does not mean de-industrialisation, and highlights the UK’s leadership in these important technologies.” 

Olivia moderated a panel discussion on this very topic at Innovation Zero 2024’s Industrial Forum this April, view it here.

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