C-Capture’s technology in biofuels trial to achieve net zero

C-Capture's decarbonisation technology formed part of a successful, industrial-scale biofuels glass-manufacturing trial by Glass Futures at Pilkington UK's St Helens site - part of NSG Group - earlier this month.

The compatibility of the company's carbon capture solvent was tested as part of Glass Future's £6m project to demonstrate low-cost biofuels have potential to achieve UK net zero targets. It is the first of five trials that Glass Futures will run to identify and demonstrate a variety of economically and technically suitable low-cost bioderived fuels for a range of industrial glass and ceramics sites with furnaces of varying designs and scales. The project is funded by the UK government under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's (DESNZ) IFS 2, phase 2 programme, funded within its Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

Tom White, CEO, C-Capture, said: "We are proud to collaborate with Glass Futures and Pilkington UK on this groundbreaking project which tests biofuels at industrial scale. Based on fundamentally different chemistry to incumbent carbon capture approaches, our technology is a true innovation in CO2 removal with the potential to play a globally significant role in decarbonising industry."

Caio Mendonça, R&D Senior Decarbonisation Technologist at Pilkington UK, said: "This groundbreaking trial is an exciting step towards net zero, and highlights our dedication to sustainable innovation within the glass industry. By testing biofuels at an industrial scale, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and demonstrating the power of cleaner, low-carbon alternatives to natural gas.

"This project is not just about reducing our own carbon footprint but also paving the way for the entire industry to transition towards more environmentally friendly practices. The insights we gain will help to accelerate the development of practical, cost-effective solutions that can be implemented across the sector.

"We look forward to continuing this journey alongside Glass Futures to pioneer a greener future for glass manufacturing." The biofuels trial builds on previous carbon capture success in glass manufacturing with an earlier collaboration between the companies as part of C-Capture's national project, 'XLR8 CCS - Accelerating the Deployment of a Low-Cost Carbon Capture Solution for Hard-to-Abate Industries.

Working together, the companies achieved the UK's first demonstration of a carbon capture technology within the mainstream commercial glass manufacturing industry when C-Capture's innovative technology was trialled at Pilkington UK's site in St Helens in December last year. XLR8 CCS is testing the ability of the company's carbon capture technology to remove CO2 from the flue gas emissions of three difficult-to-decarbonise industries including energy from waste, glass and cement manufacturing. Working with partners Wood, Heidelberg Materials UK, Glass Futures, and Pilkington UK part of NSG Group, carbon capture solvent compatibility units (CCSCUs) are being installed at sites across the UK as part of the project.

XLR8 CCS is funded with £1.7m from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero's £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The funding is part of the £20 million Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Innovation 2.0 programme aimed at accelerating the deployment of next-generation CCUS technology in the UK.