International CCUS Awards 2026 celebrate global leaders turning CCUS ambition into action

London, 14 October 2026] – The Carbon Capture & Storage Association (CCSA) has announced the winners of the inaugural International CCUS Awards, recognising the pioneering projects, breakthrough technologies and individuals accelerating the global deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).

Held in central London on 13 October, the ceremony brought together more than 150 industry leaders, innovators and policymakers from across the global CCUS community.

Sponsored by Team Norway and hosted by television and radio presenter Konnie Huq, the event celebrated achievements across major infrastructure projects, next-generation capture technologies, innovative finance, carbon removals and skills development.

The winning projects and individuals highlight how CCUS is actively decarbonising industry, attracting investment and strengthening industrial competitiveness across the globe, while supporting skilled jobs and economic growth in industrial regions.

The winners span pioneering research and skills development in Denmark; major CO₂ transport, storage and capture projects in the Netherlands and UK; innovative carbon removal infrastructure in North America; and financial leadership supporting projects across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. Together, the winners demonstrate the innovation, collaboration and investment taking place across the entire CCUS value chain, and the progress being made by companies and countries around the world.

The awards come at a pivotal time for the UK sector. Speaking at the CCSA’s annual conference, Martin McCluskey MP, Minister for Local Energy and Jobs, reaffirmed support for building a strong CCUS industry while acknowledging the fiscal pressures facing the Government. The CCSA warned that withdrawing support risks stalling projects, deterring investment and accelerating industrial decline across UK regions.

Realising CCUS’s full potential will require sustained investment, policy certainty and collaboration across the value chain, from technology development and infrastructure and skills.

The International CCUS Awards demonstrate the expertise and innovation that is already driving the sector forward. Building on this progress will be essential to translating ambition into deployment and delivering lasting economic and environmental benefits for the UK, EU and beyond.

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said:

“The International CCUS Awards celebrate the people and projects turning ambition into action and demonstrating what a strong CCUS sector can deliver. Congratulations to all the winners and those shortlisted for all their hard work in advancing the sector worldwide. The depth of innovation and expertise across our sector, both in the UK and internationally, is clear. We must build on this momentum to ensure CCUS delivers lasting economic and environmental benefits for generations to come.”

International CCUS Awards 2026 winners

CCUS Lifetime Achievement Award: Philip Loldrup Fosbøl, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)

Recognised for nearly two decades of exceptional contributions to CCUS research and development, including leading multiple pilot-scale CO₂ capture campaigns, delivering the first full evaluation of the CCS value chain from a cement plant, and training a new generation of CCUS researchers.

Rising Star: Dr. Sulafa Abdalmageed Saadaldeen Mohammed, Aalborg University.

Celebrated for her commitment to advancing Direct Air Capture, carbon utilisation and international collaboration. Her journey from Sudan to Malaysia and now Denmark reflects a dedication to research, education and knowledge-sharing, alongside inspiring the next generation of engineers.

CCUS Innovation – sponsored by Gasunie: Carbon Clean – CycloneCC

Recognised for CycloneCC, a breakthrough modular carbon capture technology designed to reduce costs, footprint and deployment times. Its innovative approach has the potential to make carbon capture more accessible, repeatable and scalable across industrial applications.

Thought Leadership – sponsored by RWE: Progressive Energy

Awarded for influential research, public engagement and project leadership that are helping shape the future of CCUS. Through knowledge-sharing, industry-wide collaboration and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking, Progressive Energy is helping inform policy, unlock investment and advance pathways to net zero.

CCUS Infrastructure Project – sponsored by HES International: Porthos

Recognised for developing one of the European Union’s first large-scale CO₂ transport and storage projects. Porthos will help Dutch industry decarbonise while laying the foundations for a cross-border CO₂ network, with the potential to support industries in Belgium and Germany by transporting and permanently storing their captured emissions in the Netherlands.

CCUS Capture Project – sponsored by 2JCP: NZT Power

Celebrated for moving UK carbon capture from ambition towards delivery by pioneering the world’s first commercial-scale gas-fired power station with carbon capture. The project is helping establish an investable blueprint for future developments and demonstrating the potential for CCUS to support lower-carbon power generation.

Carbon Removals or Utilisation Project: Deep Sky – Deep Sky Alpha

Recognised for delivering North America’s first fully integrated capture-to-storage-to-credit infrastructure. Deep Sky Alpha has demonstrated how Direct Air Capture can progress from concept to verified carbon removal credits in under a year, marking an important milestone for the emerging carbon removals sector.

Cross-Chain Integration: Northern Endurance Partnership

Awarded for delivering the UK’s first integrated CCS transport and storage network. Through cross-chain collaboration, industry-leading knowledge-sharing and innovative risk management, the partnership is establishing a scalable model for future CCUS deployment.

Skills & Supply Chain Leadership: UK CCS Research Community Network

Recognised for more than 20 years of developing the people, research and ideas that underpin today’s CCS deployment, while actively building the skills, knowledge and collaborative networks needed to sustain progress over the next two decades.

Finance & Insurance Innovator: Société Générale

Celebrated for helping drive global CCS deployment through landmark, first-of-a-kind financing arrangements and advisory mandates across the UK, US, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Its work is delivering innovative, replicable financial solutions to support large-scale decarbonisation.

ENDS