CCSA Statement: Carbon capture must be at centre of battle against climate change, says Tony Blair Institute

The Tony Blair Institute recently published a report highlighting the need for carbon capture and storage in tackling climate change.

Following the release of the report, Mark Sommerfeld, CCSA UK Director, said:

“The Tony Blair Institute is absolutely right in its recognition of the vital role of carbon capture and storage. It will enable British industries to decarbonise by capturing process emissions, as well as generate low-carbon dispatchable power to complement renewables, and through engineered removals see greenhouse gases actively taken out of the atmosphere.”

“With ambitious climate targets that must be met, it’s important that all pathways and technologies are utilised. By doing so, we combat climate change and create a market for low-carbon products such as sustainable aviation fuel and cement to build homes. CCUS enables UK industries to decarbonise and grow, protecting and creating jobs, which is critical to bringing communities along on the net zero transition.”

“Much progress has been made recently to deploy CCUS across the UK’s industrial heartland and it’s important that momentum is maintained. The Government now needs to build on recent success by progressing Track-1 expansion, advance Track-2 selections and support all other clusters and projects that can be deployed on a similar timeline. Acting now will not only reduce future costs but also secure the UK’s position as a global leader in CCUS.”

Following publication of the Public Accounts Committee’s report into Government support for Biomass, please see below for a statement from the CCSA.

Mark Sommerfeld, UK Director, said:

“As the UK strives for energy security and net zero, Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies, including Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), are essential. Climate scenarios from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), and the International Energy Agency all highlight the critical role of sustainable biomass in achieving climate goals. The CCC reaffirmed this in its advice for the Seventh Carbon Budget, which called for 21 MtCO₂ of engineered removals by 2040, with BECCS expected to deliver the largest share.”

“The CCSA and industry fully support placing sustainability at the core of BECCS deployment. The sector adheres to internationally recognised carbon accounting methodologies and science-based standards to ensure robust sustainability governance. These frameworks are verified through independent certification schemes—such as the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP)—which often exceed even government requirements. The industry has also welcomed the Government’s commitment to evolving these governance frameworks and remains eager to collaborate on advancing this vital area.”

“The biomass sector is clear: the future lies in the successful delivery of sustainable BECCS. The long-term goal is to establish a self-sustaining market where carbon removals are driven by market demand rather than government support. However, to reach this point, urgent decisions are needed in the upcoming Spending Review to enable the progression of Track 2 and Track 1 expansion projects, along with others delivering on similar timeframes. Now is the time to ensure BECCS, alongside other CCS applications, is advanced in the right way—maximising its contribution to the UK’s net zero ambitions.”

• The CCSA congratulates Eni and the Government taking financial close on the Liverpool Bay Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project – a landmark for the CCUS industry and a critical step to advance the HyNet CCS Cluster, as well as protect and create new industrial jobs in the North West.
• Eni’s Transportation & Storage infrastructure will enable local industries to decarbonise, helping reverse the trend of industrial closures and downsizes in the region in recent years.
• CCSA welcomes the UK Government’s continued progress in delivering CCUS and hope to see this momentum maintained across UK industrial heartlands.

[London, 24 April] Eni has reached financial close on its Liverpool Bay CCS project – a cornerstone of the HyNet CCS Cluster that will store CO₂ from industry in Eni’s depleted gas fields in the Irish Sea.

This huge achievement ensures critical infrastructure will now be in place to safeguard jobs, attract investment, and revitalise industry in the North West of England and North Wales. This will help transform one of the UK’s most energy-intensive industrial regions into one of the world’s first low-carbon industrial clusters. With financial close now achieved, the Liverpool Bay CCS project enters the construction phase – unlocking investment in local UK supply chains and creating an estimated 2,000 jobs during this phase alone.

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) welcomes this monumental achievement towards the deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) across the North of Wales and North West of England, prioritising the region’s industrial future while advancing the UK’s broader energy security goals.

HyNet will enable manufacturers to cut emissions, generate clean power and produce low-carbon hydrogen. With Eni’s transport and storage infrastructure now financially secured, vital projects – such as EET Hydrogen’s 350-MW low-carbon hydrogen plant, Encyclis and Viridor’s CCS-enabled Energy-from-Waste facilities, and Heidelberg Materials Padeswood’s cement plant – can move forward.

Eni, as the operator of the CO₂ transport and storage system, will deliver the infrastructure that underpins the cluster – including over 180 kilometres of pipelines and repurposed offshore platforms, connecting regional industries that can capture their CO₂ and permanently store it in depleted natural gas reservoirs, located offshore under the seabed in Liverpool Bay.

Eni’s Liverpool Bay CCS project is expected to permanently store 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually in its first phase, scaling up to 10 million tonnes by 2030. By 2035, the cluster could support 6,000 long-term jobs across the region.

Today’s progress underlines the UK’s global leadership in industrial decarbonisation, as part of the UK Government’s commitment to CCUS deployment.  The Government can now capitalise on this momentum within the upcoming Spending Review to maximise the growth opportunities presented by CCUS for the UK. This includes advancing the next clusters and projects and putting in place the right market framework to deploy the industry at scale. CCSA analysis shows delivering all clusters could support 50,000+ jobs nationwide and unlock £26bn in private investment by 2050, making it a critical component for realising the Government’s growth agenda and forthcoming industrial Strategy.

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA said:

“This is a pivotal moment for the North West. Eni’s Liverpool Bay CCS project in HyNet is a huge step forward for the CCUS industry and demonstrates the UK’s global leadership in industrial decarbonisation. It will protect vital industries and provide product security, create and protect skilled local jobs, and position the region at the forefront of the low-carbon economy. The focus can shift to delivery – getting spades in the ground, connecting industry, and capturing CO₂.”

“Capitalising on this well-earned momentum is equally essential. This means advancing the next CCUS clusters and projects and providing a route to market for further projects across the UK. These steps will unlock the full growth potential of deploying CCUS at scale, including the potential for 50,000 jobs centred in our declining industrial heartlands. At the same time, it will enhance energy security, drive progress toward net zero targets, and be the central backbone to the UK’s Industrial Strategy.”

Notes to Editor

• Interview requests: To interview Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, please contact sara.price@ccsassociation.org
• For a briefing call on CCUS, please contact Sara Price on 07825235313 / sara.price@ccsassociation.org
• Press Pack: An FAQ, infographics and an animation accompany the press release for use. Download the press pack here.
• Eni’s official announcement on the Liverpool Bay CCS project financial close is available here.
• The UK Government’s statement on its commitment to advancing CCUS infrastructure is available here.

About the CCSA

CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).

The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.

The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO₂ transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) welcomes the Government’s intervention to safeguard British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant, protecting jobs and UK manufacturing. However, the long-term success of UK manufacturing industries hinges on accelerating Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) deployment to decarbonise steel and other foundation industries.

Hard-to-abate sectors, including steel, cement and chemicals account for ~14% of UK emissions. For steel, CCUS offers a viable pathway to retain primary production while cutting emissions. Previous pilots, including British Steel’s collaboration to convert captured CO₂ into transport fuels, prove this potential. The Climate Change Committee stresses that 50–60 million tonnes of CO₂ must be captured annually by 2035 to meet carbon budgets. Without rapid CCUS progress, the UK risks losing its industrial expertise and capability – a blow to both economy and climate goals.

Statement from Olivia Powis, CCSA CEO:

“The CCSA welcomes the Government’s intervention to secure the future of the steel blast furnace in Scunthorpe, underscoring the vital importance of protecting critical industries and the thousands of jobs they support in the context of the energy transition.”

“This urgent action reinforces the need for clear and timely policy decisions to safeguard industrial sectors across the UK. A competitive and sustainable steel industry must be equipped with the technologies required to deliver affordable, low-carbon domestic production. This equally applies to other foundational industries—such as cement and chemicals—where the rapid deployment of CCUS will play an essential role in preventing the decline of these sectors and unlock substantial growth opportunities for the UK.”

“CCUS is not optional—it is a key technology to preserve the UK’s industrial heartlands and achieve net zero. With the Spending Review approaching, the Government must fast-track CCUS deployment to drive growth, demonstrate climate leadership, and protect livelihoods.”