New carbon capture plant to be built in North Wales

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), together with Worley and Heidelberg Materials, has entered the execution phase of the Padeswood Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Flintshire, North Wales. The facility will be the first in Europe to deploy MHI’s proprietary Advanced KM CDR Process technology, capturing around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from cement production at Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood plant.

The captured CO₂ will be transported via pipeline for permanent storage in depleted gas fields under Liverpool Bay as part of the HyNet North West cluster. The announcement follows Heidelberg Materials’ final investment decision in September 2025, made in collaboration with the UK Government under Track-1 of its CCUS cluster sequencing programme.

The CCS facility is scheduled to be operational in 2029. MHI and Worley were awarded a front-end engineering design (FEED) study in 2024. In the execution phase, MHI and its regional representative MHI-EMEA, via its London headquarters, will provide engineering and procurement under the Advanced KM CDR Process for the CO₂ capture technology, along with associated plant including compressors.

Worley will deliver engineering, procurement and construction management for the balance of plant. Cement production accounts for around 7–8% of global CO₂ emissions, most of which result from the calcination process and cannot be avoided by switching to clean energy sources. CCS is therefore considered the only viable option for achieving full decarbonisation in cement manufacturing.

Long-term resilience
Tatsuto Nagayasu, senior vice president (CCUS) of GX Solutions at MHI, said: “We are proud to support Heidelberg Materials in realising the UK’s first full-scale carbon capture facility in the cement sector. Using our Advanced KM CDR Process, this project will play a leading role in decarbonising one of the most challenging industrial sectors. Together with Worley, we look forward to delivering this landmark CCS facility that will contribute to the long-term resilience of UK industry and help fulfill the country’s net zero ambitions.”

Simon Willis, CEO at Heidelberg Materials UK, said: “This is the next major milestone in our plans to build the UK’s first carbon capture facility at a cement works. We have established an excellent working relationship with Worley and MHI during the completion of the front-end engineering design for our Padeswood project. This, along with their proven track record in delivering this type of complex facility, makes them the perfect partner to take our groundbreaking project to the next stage.”

Chris Ashton, CEO of Worley, added: “This project is a landmark for industrial decarbonisation in the UK and Europe and part of the HyNet carbon capture cluster. We are proud to be working alongside Heidelberg Materials and MHI to deliver a facility that will help transform cement production and support the UK’s net zero ambitions. Our role in this project reflects our ability to enable sustainable industrial solutions and leverage our global expertise in delivery for complex energy and infrastructure projects.”

The Padeswood CCS project is expected to create around 50 new permanent jobs and secure over 200 existing roles, while supporting up to 500 jobs during construction. As part of the HyNet North West cluster, the project will contribute to building a long-term carbon management infrastructure in the UK and enable Heidelberg Materials to supply low-carbon cement to the construction industry.