Article by Aniqah Majid
Enfinium, a prominent waste-to-energy company, has collaborated with Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) to introduce a pioneering carbon capture pilot plant in West Yorkshire, UK. This innovative plant, designed to be mobile and containerized, will be situated at the Ferrybridge 1 facility. It marks the UK’s first venture of this kind.
The pilot plant will utilize HZI’s amine-scrubbing solution, an integral component of their BioMethan gas upgrading technology, which transforms raw biogases into biomethane. The amine solution functions by absorbing CO2 from the flue gas produced by the processing plant. Enfinium anticipates that this plant will capture up to 1 ton of CO2 per day and will operate for a minimum of 12 months, beginning in July.
Scalability Testing
This pilot plant aims to evaluate the commercial scalability of CO2 removal technology across all enfinium waste-to-energy facilities. By comparing various solvents and collecting performance data on CO2 capture rates, energy consumption, and solvent degradation, enfinium seeks to refine its carbon capture techniques.
The initiative brings Enfinium closer to implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) at both Ferrybridge 1 and 2 facilities. With a potential investment of up to £800 million ($1 billion), the company expects these facilities to capture over 1.2 million tons of CO2 annually. Each Ferrybridge site generates 85 MW of electricity for the National Grid, processing up to 725,000 tons of residual waste per year.
Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, highlighted the benefits of this technology, including large-scale durable carbon removals and reliable, homegrown carbon-negative power. He noted that the partnership with HZI will enable them to test multiple capture techniques for potential future deployment across all facilities.
Continued Partnership
The waste-to-energy sector plays a crucial role in the government’s Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) plan, aiming for self-sufficient CCUS deployment across various sectors, including industrial emitters and gas-fired power plants, by 2035.
HZI also serves as enfinium’s engineering, procurement, and construction partner for the £500 million Skelton Grange waste-to-energy facility in Leeds. This facility is expected to process up to 410,000 tons of residual waste, contributing significantly to energy production, and is set to be operational by 2025.
