The UK-wide scheme will see a total of 15 greenhouse gas removal projects benefitting from the grant, which aims to reduce the nation’s emission and create new green jobs.
With funding coming under Phase 2 of the Direct Air Capture and Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies competition, development will focus on accelerating projects such as a machine that pulls carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air, a plant to convert household waste into hydrogen, and a system to remove CO2 from seawater.
The £60m competition – itself funded through the BEIS Net Zero Innovation Portfolio – is comprised of two phases, the first of which saw 23 winners receiving a share of £5.6m.
The remaining £54.5m will be shared between the 15 participants which have progressed to phase two.
“This £54m government investment announced today will help establish a greenhouse gas removal industry in the UK, which could be worth billions to our economy, bringing in private investment and supporting the creation of new green jobs,” commented Greg Hands, Energy and Climate Change Minister.
With GGR technology considered essential to meeting the UK’s net zero 2050 target, funding will be used to accelerate the following projects:
– Advanced Biofuel Solutions in Swindon. Set to receive £4.75m, the project is based on a plant that provides low carbon hydrogen to be used for transport, harnessed from household waste.
– Mission Zero Technologies. A London-based project that will receive £2.9m for its direct air capture technology.
– SAC Commercial. The Edinburgh-based project will also receive £2.9m for its efforts to decarbonise farming by developing technology that captures methane produced from cattle.
– £3m will be granted to the University of Exeter to develop its SeaCURE system that removes CO2 from seawater.
Stating that the UK is home to world leading expertise in marine science and technology, Professor Paul Halloran, SeaCURE, UoE, added, “The BEIS GGR programme is allowing us to bring this together to deliver a novel climate change solution which builds on the ocean’s natural capture of anthropogenic carbon.”