UK UK Government Backs Landmark Peak District Carbon Capture Project in Net Zero Drive

[Social Media]

 

UK Government Backs Landmark Peak District Carbon Capture Project in Net Zero Drive

 

Rachel Reeves’s National Wealth Fund has committed £28.6 million to a major carbon capture initiative in the Peak District, marking a significant step in the Labour government’s push to achieve net zero emissions. The Peak Cluster project, billed as the world’s largest cement decarbonisation scheme, is designed to trap emissions from cement and lime factories before storing them beneath the Irish Sea.

 

The government says the initiative will prevent more than three million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. It also aims to secure the UK’s domestic supply of cement and lime, which are vital to the construction and manufacturing sectors. These industries are among the hardest to decarbonise due to the inherent carbon-intensive nature of their production processes—emissions that can’t simply be reduced by switching to green fuels.

 

This is the first time the National Wealth Fund has invested directly in a carbon capture project, following Chancellor Reeves’s announcement earlier this year that carbon capture would become a strategic priority. Over the next 25 years, the government has committed to spending up to £22 billion on carbon capture and storage (CCS) schemes across the country.

 

Carbon capture technology works by collecting carbon dioxide emissions at their source, then transporting them to be stored deep underground. It is seen as a vital tool in limiting emissions from power plants and heavy industry. Yet its deployment remains highly contentious. A parliamentary report published earlier this year branded CCS as “unproven,” and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) voiced deep scepticism over its viability, warning that the technology had never been properly tested, could carry excessive costs, and might not succeed.

 

The PAC also highlighted the potential burden on consumers, pointing out that the £22 billion in pledged investment translates to about £800 per household, though this cost would be distributed over many years. Despite the criticism, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband remains adamant about the role CCS must play in Britain’s green transformation. “This landmark investment will catalyse our carbon capture sector to deliver thousands of highly skilled jobs and growth across our industrial heartlands, as part of our Plan for Change,” he said. “Workers in the North Sea and Britain’s manufacturing heartlands will drive forward the country’s industrial renewal, positioning them at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy transition.”

 

The government believes carbon capture could eliminate up to 30 million tonnes of CO₂ by the end of this decade and more than 100 million tonnes by 2050. However, critics like Greenpeace argue that investing heavily in CCS simply delays the necessary move away from fossil fuels. They believe the funding would be better spent on renewable energy sources, such as offshore wind.

 

In addition to tackling emissions, the Peak Cluster project is expected to generate significant economic benefits. According to ministers, it will create around 1,500 new jobs across Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and the North West, while safeguarding another 2,000 existing roles. Private investment is also playing a key role in the project, with £31 million coming from backers including Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and major UK industrial partners like Tarmac and Breedon.

 

The National Wealth Fund plans to invest at least £5.8 billion into net zero infrastructure by 2030. Alongside carbon capture, the fund will support projects focused on hydrogen production, battery gigafactories, and supply chains for electric vehicles.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Daily Telegraph  2025-07-08

 

 

[JonnyF]

Millions more wasted on the net zero fantasy.

 

Lucky 2 tear Rachel from accounts has plenty of spare cash to play around wi... oh, wait a minute...

 

 

[faraday]

3 hours ago, Social Media said:

Carbon capture technology works by collecting carbon dioxide emissions at their source, then transporting them to be stored deep underground

 

So really, just moving this nasty carbon from one place to another.

 

Not really solving anything.

 

If it ever actually needed solving.