InBECCS: The UK’s first Greenhouse Gas Removal project

As the global push toward net-zero carbon emissions gains momentum, innovative projects like InBECCS (Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) are stepping into the spotlight. Rooted in Ince in the North West of England, home to our Ince BioPower plant, this groundbreaking project is poised to play a pivotal role in the UK’s sustainable industrial revolution.

What is InBECCS?

InBECCS represents a bold fusion of biomass and carbon capture technology, leveraging the power of nature and science to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Alongside its sister project MBECCS (Mersey Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage), located at our Mersey Bioenergy plant also in the North West, these projects underscore our commitment to innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Carbon capture plays a crucial role in combating climate change by preventing CO₂ from entering the atmosphere, thereby reducing the overall concentration of greenhouse gases. It addresses emissions from hard-to-decarbonise sectors, providing a pathway to lower their environmental impact.

What Makes These Projects Unique?

Both InBECCS and MBECCS are uniquely placed because of both their sustainable feedstock and convenient location.

Both plants use grade-C waste wood - treated wood, or wood that cannot be reused and would otherwise end up in landfills. With this sustainability through circularity process, we’re diverting hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wood from landfill and extending its life by using it to power local homes across the UK.

Both projects are also conveniently located close to existing pipeline infrastructure, allowing captured carbon to be transported and stored 1km underground within Liverpool Bay.

Our InBECCS project is conveniently located within the HyNet cluster, the UK’s most advanced carbon capture cluster, which was one of the recipients of the government's £21.7 billion in funding to support carbon capture projects.

A Pillar of Government Ambition

The government has set a target of removing 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually by 2030, a goal that hinges on the success of pioneering carbon capture projects like InBECCS.

CCS is also integral to the UK government’s binding Net Zero by 2050 target. The National Audit Office’s 2024/25 Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage programme report reemphasises the importance of greenhouse gas removals in achieving these sustainability targets and expects a boost between £4 to £5 billion to the UK economy annually by 2050, a testament to the importance in achieving large-scale greenhouse gas removals (GGRs).

Industry Expertise Meets Cutting-Edge Technology

Kenji Terasawa, CEO and Head of Engineering Solutions at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), highlighted the transformative potential of BECCS:

“BECCS will be a key instrument to decarbonise our power systems on the way to net zero. We look forward to applying our extensive expertise on CO₂ capture in Evero's innovative InBECCS project, helping the UK reach its ambitious decarbonisation targets.”

Central to this effort is MHI’s advanced amine solvent technology, the Advanced KM CDR Process™ (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process). Developed in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power since 1990, this technology has a proven track record, with 16 plants already operational globally.

The Road Ahead

The InBECCS project marks a crucial milestone in the journey toward a Net Zero future. By combining state-of-the-art carbon capture technology with sustainable biomass, it not only helps meet national emissions targets but also positions the UK as a global leader in the fight against climate change.

Simon Hicks, Evero CEO, highlighted the impact of BECCS:

“Carbon capture projects like Evero’s InBECCS projects are vital to secure a thriving environmental future for young generations and showing the positive change that this industry and technology can make.”

As we continue to innovate and expand projects like InBECCS and MBECCS, we are building a cleaner, greener tomorrow - one milestone at a time.