Hanson UK, a leading supplier of building materials, has had plans to retrofit its production facility to produce net-zero cement shortlisted by the UK Government along with 19 other projects.
Hanson UK, part of the wider HeidelbergCement Group, produces a variety of materials, such as concrete, asphalt, and cement. Recent plans to retrofit their site for zero-carbon cement production has been shortlisted as one of 20 innovative projects in the running for the Government carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) funding programme. Officials said the shortlist did not imply the availability of funding for any or all of the shortlisted projects – but did mean the schemes were selected in for the next phase.
The UK government is committed to creating a world-leading industry in carbon capture, hoping to decarbonise the economy and maximise economic opportunities for the UK. The endeavour would result in the creation of around 50,000 skilled jobs in the UK by 2030.
Other shortlisted projects include H2NorthEast, a planned low-carbon blue hydrogen production site, and The Whitetail Clean Energy Facility, located in Teesside and looking to become the UK’s first net-zero emissions power plant.
Cement is an essential construction material, and the most widely used man-made material in existence. Producing it is also incredibly resource and carbon intensive. Accounting for about 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. There is currently no carbon-free method of production, so capturing and storing emissions is the only way to do so without emitting a harmful amount of carbon into the atmosphere. Therefore, if the Padeswood site is successful, it would be a significant step in the right direction for the UK’s construction industry and its stringent net-zero ambitions.
If plans move ahead, this project would enable Hanson to produce net-zero carbon cement as early as 2027 by capturing and storing 800,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. In addition to this, it would also see the creation of hundreds of new highly skilled jobs.
This news highlights just how important government funding is to supporting UK businesses on their journey to becoming more sustainable. Increasing resources and funding for such initiatives like the Padeswood cement work retrofit will help pave the way for further investment in carbon capture technology and subsequently support the UK construction industry achieve its plans for decarbonisation.
Formed at last year’s COP26 summit, the UN Race to Zero includes of a collection of Britain’s largest businesses, including half the FTSE100 and representing sectors like transport, construction, technology, manufacturing, and finance, committed to drastically reducing their carbon emissions. But, there are concerns about how these reduction plans may have secondary effects that affect a wide variety of private businesses and local governments.
Developers and their plans will be put under pressure due to the potential impacts of new materials and processes on the entire supply chain. It’s with this, that the possibility of carbon capture cement production may help to relieve that pressure.
