CGI rendering of Protos carbon capture and energy recovery facility with integrated pipelines and storage infrastructure

Carbon capture

Delivering carbon capture

In September 2025, Encyclis reached a landmark agreement with the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to confirm the development of the UK’s first full-scale carbon capture plant in Energy-from-Waste, at our Protos Energy Recovery Facility, in Cheshire.

The carbon capture plant is due to become operational in 2029, when it will begin capturing around 370,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year – equivalent to taking an estimated 200,000 cars off the road.

As part of the HyNet North West decarbonisation cluster, captured CO₂ will be transported via pipeline for storage in depleted gas reservoirs in Liverpool Bay.

Encyclis has positioned itself at the forefront of efforts to integrate carbon capture and storage (CCS) into Energy-from-Waste.

This breakthrough project will clear a pathway for wider roll-out, unlocking potential for decarbonisation of waste treatment in the UK.

Our ultimate goal is to develop CCS capability to capture carbon at all of our operational plants.

To reach net zero emissions, CCS technology will need to capture at least 50% of the CO₂ emitted across our portfolio, due to the average composition of residual waste being evenly split between biogenic and fossil-based content.

A carbon capture plant has been designed for Protos ERF

Our planned carbon capture facility at Protos ERF will carry flue gasses from the main plant to the carbon capture facility via above-ground ducts and booster fans.

The gases are then cooled in direct contact coolers, enabling the CO₂ to be absorbed in absorber columns by an amine solution (MEA). With the CO₂ removed from the flue gas stream, the flue gas is released into the atmosphere.

The captured CO₂ is removed from the amine solution in de-absorber towers by reheating the amine solution with steam. The captured CO₂ is then compressed and moisture is removed from. This allows for the CO₂ to be transported via pipelines for storage under the seabed. However, there are also options for CO₂ to be transported via road, rail or ship.

Find out about Protos ERF facility

Read more about Energy-from-Waste

What is carbon capture?

Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from industrial infrastructure contributes to climate change. Carbon capture is a solution that prevents the release of CO₂.

Carbon capture is primarily utilised by facilities that have an important societal or economic role but are difficult to decarbonise in other ways due to the fuel and raw materials they depend on. Examples include cement and steel manufacturing… and Energy-from-Waste.

The essential treatment of residual waste through combustion produces carbon dioxide due to the carbon content of the waste received by facilities. The integration of carbon capture is the most effective solution currently available to decarbonise Energy-from-Waste – enabling ongoing treatment of residual waste, diversion of waste from landfill, generation of baseload electricity, export of heat to decarbonise community heating, recovery of reusable resources. With carbon capture, all of this can be delivered while removing CO₂ from the atmosphere.

How does carbon capture work?

Officials from the Depatment for Energy Security and Net Zero visiting our Protos project

Carbon capture and storage has been established for more than 25 years as an effective technology. It works by separating CO₂ from the other gases produced at a facility, preventing it from entering the atmosphere and transporting it for safe storage.

There are several viable ways carbon capture can be deployed, most commonly using a post-combustion technique.

Carbon capture for Energy-from-Waste facilities separates CO₂ from the flue gas released during the treatment of waste, so it can be safely stored underground.

What are the benefits of carbon capture?

Continuity:
Applying carbon capture technology to an Energy-from-Waste facility enables our essential sanitation service to continue treating society’s many thousands of tonnes of residual waste while accelerating progress towards net zero. The ongoing operation of energy-from-waste also cuts the damaging methane emissions that result from sending residual waste to landfill.

Innovation:
Moving forward with carbon capture deployment strengthens the UK’s bid to become a global leader in clean energy and net zero innovation, creating the opportunity to export skills, technology and expertise to other parts of the world.

Jobs:
A range of new skills will be needed in the design and roll-out of carbon capture technology, creating new training and job opportunities in an expanding sector. In addition, carbon capture can help protect existing jobs in sectors and industries with carbon emissions that would be hard to abate by any other means.

Progress:
Carbon capture is seen as an essential component of efforts to achieve climate change targets, acting as a support mechanism for other decarbonisation initiatives.

Growth:
Carbon capture projects in strategically important parts of the UK can contribute to regional economic growth as new supply chains and commercial opportunities emerge.

Enabling negative emissions through carbon capture

Applying carbon capture to energy-from-waste offers a specific additional benefit by actively reducing overall CO₂ levels in the atmosphere.

With carbon capture installed, Energy-from-Waste generates negative emissions. Not only is the fossil-based proportion of carbon inherent in residual waste captured (from materials such as plastic), but also the non-fossil based, or biogenic, proportion of carbon (from materials such as card and paper).

Since this biogenic proportion represents around half of the total carbon content in residual waste, there is significant potential for negative emissions. The capture and permanent sequestration biogenic carbon leads to a negative impact on overall CO₂ volumes in the atmosphere.

Protos facility aerial photo
Carbon captured at the Protos facility will be stored in depleted gas fields in Liverpool Bay

The project has been selected to progress with Government support under Track-1 of the industrial decarbonisation cluster programme, led by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

 

Find out about Protos ERF facility

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