ERM, the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy, has published a report analyzing the opportunities for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the UK’s Energy from Waste (EfW) sector, including an assessment of how CCS on EfW aligns with the UK’s net zero strategy and targets.  

Commissioned by Viridor, the report finds that CCS of CO2 from EfW provides greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) that could contribute 27% of the UK government’s 2035 GGR target. ERM’s analysis also reveals that CCS on EfW could enable a carbon neutral electricity grid in support of the UK government’s target to decarbonize the electricity grid by 2035. In addition, deployment of CCS on EfW has the potential to unlock £19bn of investment by 2050 and generate over 14,000 green jobs. 

The use of EfW facilities by UK local authorities has increased significantly over the last two decades as measures were introduced to limit the amount of residual waste sent to landfills. Benefits of EfW include the avoidance of landfill environmental impacts such as methane emissions, electricity generation and the ability to recover valuable metals from waste.  

CCS is the only technology available for abating Scope 1 emissions from EfW. Six of the UK’s EfW facilities located near hubs for CO2 storage have already announced CCS plans, and the UK Government is in negotiations with two EfW facilities, Protos ERF and Viridor Runcorn, to receive funding for CCS deployment and be operational by 2027. These facilities are strategically aligned to the HyNet Cluster in Merseyside, one of the UK’s prioritized industrial clusters.  

Silvian Baltac, Partner leading ERM’s Industrial Decarbonization practice, said: “ERM’s analysis shows that uptake of CCS across the UK’s EfW facilities is aligned with the UK’s net zero strategy and supports key government targets. It also provides significant opportunity for investment and green jobs in historic industrial areas that could support regional growth for decades to come.”  

About ERM

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As the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy, ERM partners with clients to operationalize sustainability at pace and scale, deploying a unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities. This approach helps clients to accelerate the integration of sustainability at every level of their business.

With more than 50 years of experience, ERM’s diverse team of 8000+ experts in 40 countries and territories helps clients create innovative solutions to their sustainability challenges, unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.  Learn more here.