Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood cement works in North Wales and Encyclis’ Protos Energy Recovery Facility in Cheshire will now move to delivery, a landmark breakthrough in decarbonising two of the toughest industries to clean up.

The projects will support 500 skilled jobs across construction and engineering while anchoring major new investment in industrial regions.

Encyclis will retrofit carbon capture to its Protos energy from waste plant. It means non-recyclable waste will produce reliable low-carbon power instead of pumping out harmful emissions.

At Padeswood, Heidelberg will build a full-scale capture plant at its existing cement works. Carbon dioxide capatured at both plants will be piped into the HyNet network for permanent storage under Liverpool Bay.

Simon Willis, CEO at Heidelberg Materials UK, said: “Our constructive partnership with the UK Government has allowed us to reach this major milestone, which is fantastic news, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole.”

“Our new facility at Padeswood will be a world-leader. It will capture around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year from our existing cement works, allowing us to produce evoZero net zero cement, which will help theconstruction industry reach its decarbonisation aims.”

Encyclis chief executive Mark Burrows-Smith hailed the scheme as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to decarbonise waste treatment”

Industry leaders are now urging ministers to widen support beyond the first wave of schemes so the UK can build a self-sustaining CCUS market delivering more decarbonised products, more skilled jobs and long-term regional growth.