enfinium, a prominent UK energy from waste operator, is forging ahead with plans to invest approximately £200 million in carbon capture and storage technology at the Parc Adfer energy from waste facility in Deeside, North Wales. This move is aimed at providing crucial carbon removal and propelling the green economy forward.

The proposed project has the potential to capture up to 235,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Given that over half of the waste processed at the facility is organic, the implementation of CCS would enable the plant to extract more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits. This aligns with the Welsh Government’s Carbon Budget, which underscores the necessity of carbon removal solutions to mitigate other polluting sectors of the economy and achieve a Net Zero economy.

Established in 2019 in collaboration with the five local authorities comprising the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Partnershi, Parc Adfer currently diverts up to 232,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from environmentally harmful landfill sites. As acknowledged by the National Infrastructure Commission, emissions from energy from waste plants are lower per tonne of waste compared to landfills.

With the integration of CCS, Parc Adfer will contribute to the Welsh Government’s goal of achieving 100 percent zero carbon power by 2035 and generate over 1,000 jobs in the green economy during the construction phase.

The proposal has been submitted for grant support from the UK Government as part of the expansion of their ‘Track-1’ carbon capture programme. The captured carbon will be transported via the pipeline network currently being developed in the region for the HyNet carbon capture cluster, one of the first two priority carbon capture clusters selected for development in the UK.

Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, remarked, “To achieve a net zero carbon economy, Wales must find scalable solutions for carbon removal or negative emissions. Implementing carbon capture at the Parc Adfer facility would elevate it into the largest generator of carbon negative power in Wales, decarbonising non-recyclable waste and bolstering the green economy in Deeside and the wider North Wales region.”

Cllr Geoff stewart of Conwy County Borough Council, vice chair of the North Wales Residual Waste Joint Committee, added, “Parc Adfer is a cutting-edge facility that plays a vital role in diverting non-recyclable waste in North Wales away from landfills. Introducing carbon capture and storage at the facility would help decarbonise the waste sector in the region, aligning with the Welsh Government’s Net Zero ambition.”

Ben Burggraaf, CEO of Net Zero Industry Wales, highlighted, “North-East Wales has a tremendous opportunity to harness technologies like carbon capture and hydrogen to produce the sustainable goods and services of the future. It is imperative that projects like those at Parc Adfer move forward swiftly to maintain our competitive edge over other countries.”

Planning and consenting for the Parc Adfer CCS project are set to commence later this year. The UK Government is anticipated to provide an update on the progress of projects through the Track-1 HyNet Expansion programme by the summer.

For more information visit www.enfinium.co.uk