£78m County Durham carbon capture facility to put region at the “forefront of innovation”

Plans for a new £78m zero carbon energy generation facility in County Durham submitted by North East planning specialists Hedley Planning Services for Landmark Power Holdings have been approved.

The facility at Mill Hill in Peterlee is designed to capture and reuse CO2 from the nearby energy generation plant and could come on stream in 2024. Landmark Power Holdings specialises in carbon neutral energy that enables more sustainable energy production and contributes to a circular economy in energy production.

At the facility captured carbon will be converted to food grade CO2 as well as solid state carbon, both commercial products with multiple industrial uses. This comes at an “important time” as the shutdown of fertiliser plants in the North East raises concerns over the country’s supply of CO2.

Considered to be one of the first of its type in the world, the development of a carbon capture and research and development plant is expected to employ 10 people.

Creating jobs, securing new investment and supporting the North East’s emerging position at the “forefront of innovation” in new sustainable and greener technologies if it gets the green light from planning officials later this summer.

The project taps straight into the Government’s agenda for increased investment in sustainable technologies which will help to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while also increasing the area’s energy security.

Findings from this project could lead to the emissions from hundreds of decentralised high carbon emitting projects across the country being able to be captured and stored or utilised in an efficient and clean manner.

With the government’s focus on CCUS at large industrial hubs, Landmark Power Holdings is independently working towards capturing the hard to reach and often overlooked emissions from small emitters. The carbon capture plant will occupy a 0.95ha site on land at the North West Industrial Estate off the A19 main road.

Sean Hedley, managing director of Hedley Planning Services, commented: “Developing carbon capture facilities such as the Mill Hill is important if we are to meet our commitment to solving the climate crisis.

“Carbon capture, utilisation and storage is critical for not only meeting the country’s statutory emissions reduction targets, but those right across the UK. After all, it signals another exciting new industry for the birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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