Enfinium launches first UK carbon capture and storage site to decarbonize waste management

18 Sep 2024 --- Energy-from-waste operator Enfinium has launched the UK’s first carbon capture pilot at an energy-from-waste site. The launch is considered to be a milestone for the sector and for Enfinium’s plans to deploy Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology across its UK facilities to generate carbon removals at scale and support the island country’s Net Zero target.

The technology, a containerized, scaled-down version of the CCS technology that Enfinium could deploy across all of its sites, was supplied by global green technology company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI). 

The pilot is installed at Enfinium’s Ferrybridge-1 energy-from-waste facility in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, and is capturing one metric ton of CO2 emissions from the plant’s operations daily.

Olivia Powis, CEO at Carbon Capture and Storage Association, comments: “With millions of tons of unrecyclable waste produced by the UK, this is an important demonstration of the use of CCS to generate clean power via energy-from-waste, as well as providing a future route to establishing the UK’s GHG removal market and Enfinium have taken a landmark step with its delivery. Through projects such as the one at Ferrybridge, the UK will be able to meet the clean power by 2030 target.”

Assessing capture performance

The trial demonstrates how the technology can be applied at scale across Enfinium’s fleet of six energy-from-waste facilities to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The pilot — scheduled to run for at least 12 months — is collecting real operational data on performance, such as CO2 capture rate and solvent degradation, and will assess the performance of different amine solvents. 

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, says: “To see this development from Enfinium is massively encouraging, as our own modeling shows a need for carbon capture and storage to help us reach our Net Zero ambitions. Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges we face, so it’s vital we find new opportunities for innovation that can help us build a greener, more secure region that’s fit for the future.”

Earlier this year, Enfinium announced its Net Zero Transition Plan, setting out how it will decarbonize its own operations and deliver up to 1.2 million tons of carbon removals yearly in the 2030s. 

The plan is supported by an investment program of up to £1.7 billion (US$2.2 billion), focusing on investing in carbon capture and storage technology across its energy-from-waste facilities to deliver carbon removals at scale. 

Permanent carbon storage

Deploying CCS at energy-from-waste facilities generates durable carbon removals, or “negative emissions.” Around 50% of the unrecyclable waste produced by society is made up of biogenic content including organic material such as waste food, plants and paper, which has naturally absorbed CO2 from the atmosphere. 

Installing CCS technology at an energy-from-waste facility enables this CO2 to be permanently captured and stored rather than released back into the atmosphere, resulting in a net carbon removal from the atmosphere.

The Climate Change Committee’s Progress Report from July noted that the UK must accelerate the production of carbon removals to stay on track to achieve Net Zero. Meanwhile, research by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies found that the energy from the waste sector could contribute up to 8 million tons of carbon removals.

Mike Maudsley, Enfinium’s CEO, says: “We are proud to have this sector-leading project up and running at our Ferrybridge facility. Carbon capture and storage technology is central to how the UK will be able to decarbonize its unrecyclable waste.”

“CCS is also critical to generating carbon removals at scale so the UK can achieve Net Zero. Using carbon capture, the energy from the waste sector can provide significant levels of carbon removals and Enfinium, with the support of HZI, is taking steps now to achieve this.”

Bruno-Frédéric Baudouin, CEO of HZI, adds: “Working with Enfinium to deliver the UK’s first carbon capture pilot at an energy-from-waste facility is an exciting project. The operational pilot demonstrates our capability to deliver vital decarbonizing infrastructure for the waste sector that is critical to the industry’s Net Zero ambitions.”

“The project will expand our carbon capture knowledge base and provide a springboard for delivering decarbonization solutions worldwide. Our vision is to enhance decarbonization, circularity and supply security for present and future generations, and this project embodies perfectly what we are striving for.”