[London, 12 December] – The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) is urging the UK Government to accelerate the deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) technologies to meet the growing demand for reliable, low-carbon energy, especially during critical periods like the festive season.
From Christmas lights decorating 150,000 miles of streets to the millions of turkeys roasting in ovens, the holidays place immense strain on the UK’s energy systems. On Christmas Day alone, the nation typically uses about 402 GWh of electricity—enough to light the Eiffel Tower for 50 years or power Tesla cars for 1.2 billion miles around the equator.
While renewables like wind and solar are essential, their intermittent nature poses challenges during peak demand.
CCUS offers a vital solution by ensuring dispatchable, low-carbon power when weather conditions are unfavourable for renewables. By capturing and storing carbon emissions from gas-fired power stations, CCUS complements renewable generation and provides a reliable energy backbone for the UK, keeping homes warm and lights shining during the holidays.
Beyond the grid, CCUS helps decarbonise hard-to-abate industries, supporting the production of goods vital to holiday traditions, from toys under the tree to food on our plates. By enabling the creation of low-carbon fertilisers, CCUS contributes to sustainable agriculture, ensuring we can continue to enjoy festive feasts without harming the planet.
CCUS for the festive period in 12 facts
As we look ahead to the future of CCUS, here are 12 facts that highlight the progress, potential, and promise of this critical technology.
One funding commitment of £21.7 billion is enabling the UK to establish its first CCUS Clusters.
Two projects reaching financial close – Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power) and the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP).
£20- £30 billion of private investment is expected to flow into CCUS projects by 2030.
Four CCUS Clusters across Track-1 and Track-2 are planned, including committed funding for Track-1 clusters.
The UK has five years to achieve Clean Power by 2030 and transform its energy systems, and CCUS will play an important role in meeting this target.
The 6th Carbon Budget sets a target to reduce emissions, with CCUS playing a key role in this and upcoming carbon budgets. At COP29, the Prime Minister announced an updated target of 81% emissions reduction by 2035.
77,000 jobs will be created through CCUS projects, supporting economic growth and decarbonisation.
The 8.5 million tonnes of CO2 that HyNet and the East Coast Cluster (Track-1) are posed to capture –equivalent to taking nearly 4 million cars off the road.
£960 million had been originally allocated to the Green Industries Growth Accelerator to spur CCUS innovation and deployment.
There are 10.5 GW of Power CCS projects currently in the pipeline, reinforcing the UK’s clean energy ambitions.
11,000 additional direct jobs are projected in the greenhouse gas removal (GGR) sector.
Twelve CCUS Clusters are in various stages of development across the UK, ensuring a robust, nationwide impact.
Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said:
“At this time of year, it is easy to take for granted our power system as we focus on the festive period and presents under the Christmas tree. But with ambitious net zero targets, we need to change the way we use electricity and the products that we buy, including producing power and goods in a way that doesn’t result in more emissions with the help of CCUS. In the future, this important technology will play an critical role in bringing a low-carbon sparkle to Christmas.”
Notes to Editors
Press Pack: Infographics and an animation accompany the press release for use. Download the press pack here.
About the CCSA
CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).
The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.
The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2 transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.
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