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Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood CCS project bolsters carbon capture goals

Construction of Heidelberg Materials UK's carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at its Padeswood cement works in north Wales continues to make strong progress, with major groundwork now well underway.

The project will deliver the UK's first carbon capture facility at a cement works and, once operational, will enable the production of evoZero cement while capturing around 95% of the site's carbon emissions – approximately 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year. More than 60,000 tonnes of aggregate has already been used to establish the working platform, while two piling rigs have installed more than 600 concrete piles, using around 5,000m³ of concrete, as part of the retaining wall construction. In keeping with the project's sustainability objectives, all concrete used during construction contains evoZero carbon captured near-zero cement. The product is manufactured using carbon capture and storage technology at Heidelberg Materials' Brevik cement plant in Norway, supported by certified chain-of-custody models.

Simon Willis, CEO of Heidelberg Materials UK, said: "We are delighted with the pace of construction of our Padeswood CCS project and it is great to watch as our plans turn into reality.

"We are using evoZero cement wherever possible to lower the carbon impact of the project and there is a symmetry to using a product produced using CCS to help build the infrastructure for another."

Groundworks are being delivered by Worley, which, alongside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract for the project. Completed site preparation works include the installation of security and newt fencing, the diversion of overhead power lines and underground cables, and the removal of 25,000 tonnes of topsoil, which has been stockpiled for future reinstatement work. Around 80 construction workers are currently on site each day, with that figure expected to double before the end of the year as work gathers pace. The Padeswood development builds on Heidelberg Materials' experience at its Brevik CCS project in Norway, which is designed to capture around 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Once complete, the Padeswood facility will almost double that figure, capturing around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year at full operating capacity.

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