The proposals

What is carbon capture and why does it matter?

Carbon Capture is designed to prevent carbon dioxide generated from industrial processes from being released into the atmosphere. Our proposed Carbon Capture Facility will take the CO₂ generated from the treatment of waste within the Protos ERF and transfer this via the HyNet CO₂ pipeline to be stored in depleted gas fields. Up to 95% of the emissions from the Protos ERF will be captured using this new facility.

c. 380,000 tonnes

The project will remove c. 380,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide from entering the atmosphere per annum once operational, which is equal to removing c. 200,000 cars from UK roads.

It will deliver a number of long-term high value jobs, as well as generating significant local supply chain spend during both its construction and operation. 

Proposed site plan

The design

The design of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility has been informed by technical, operational and health/safety requirements. The proposed Carbon Capture Facility is designed to process the entire flue gas stream from the Protos ERF, which will first be cooled, in direct contact coolers (DCC) in order for the CO₂ to be absorbed in absorber columns by an amine solution (MEA), with the treated flue gas safely released to the atmosphere. The captured CO₂ will be removed from the amine solution in deabsorber towers by reheating the amine solution with steam. The captured CO₂ is then compressed and the moisture removed to allow for onward transport of the CO₂ to the depleted gas fields. The amine solution is reclaimed and reused in the process in closed loop cycle.

Local roads
and transport

There will be a temporary rise in vehicle movements through the construction period, however, this will not result in a significant increase in traffic on local roads. Once in operation, there will be minimal HGV vehicle movements (a maximum of 3 per day) to the site.

Safety

Safety is integral to the design, construction, and operation of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility. Separate to the planning team, a specialist team of experts will be comprehensively assessing safety and securing all necessary consents and permits to ensure its safe operation.

Ecology and biodiversity

The site comprises land previously identified for the delivery of Ecological Management Area E as part of the wider Protos RRP development, which has been partially constructed. It is proposed to create a like-for-like replacement for Area E to the east of the site, which will be constructed prior to commencement of construction of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility.

Construction programme

The feedback from this consultation will inform the final design of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility. We are aiming to submit an application for full planning permission to Cheshire West & Chester Council in December 2023. Should planning permission be granted, construction works on the Carbon Capture Facility are expect to commence in 2025 and full operation commencing by the end of 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Responses to FAQs, including technical considerations and the planning process are outlined in the drop-down themed boxes below. Click on the question to view responses.

  • According to industry body the Global CCS Institute, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is ‘a proven technology that has been in safe operation for over 45 years. It adds that all components of CCS are proven technologies that have been used for decades on a commercial scale.

  • The captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) gas is compressed and sent via a pipeline to the undersea storage area in depleted oil and gas reservoirs under the seabed.

The site

Air quality

  • The proposed Carbon Capture Facility is designed to remove almost all of the Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) from the flue gases of the Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) during it’s normal day to day operation. Detailed Air Quality assessments have been undertaken to model the impact of the emissions and conclude that the inclusion of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility will not result in any significant impacts on human health and the environment.

  • The Facility has been designed to minimise the noise disturbance throughout its operation. A detailed noise assessment will determine any special materials required for building construction to minimise any noise. There is also a considerable distance between the site and the nearest residential properties.

  • The Carbon Capture Facility isn’t expected to produce any noticeable odours and is designed to capture Carbon Dioxide (CO2) gases that are harmful to the atmosphere.

Noise and odour considerations

  • The traffic movements during the construction phase are expected to in the region of half those required during the Protos ERF construction phase and other than occasional large equipment deliveries, the HGV movements shouldn’t be any more noticeable than currently seen servicing the Protos RRP.

Local roads and transport

  • The feedback from this consultation will inform the final design of the proposed Carbon Capture Facility. We are aiming to submit an application for full planning permission to Cheshire West & Chester Council in December 2023. Should planning permission be granted, construction works on the Carbon Capture Facility are expect to commence in 2025 and full operation commencing by the end of 2027.

  • If approved, the facility would begin operation from the end of 2027. Once operational, the processing facility would be operational 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Programme