- Sumitomo Corporation has agreed to fund the development of a CO2 transport pipeline to decarbonize the UK's cement and lime industry.
- The project will transport 3 million tonnes of CO2 annually from the UK’s largest cement and lime production plants, which produce 40% of the country’s total output.
- The Peak Cluster Carbon Capture project will capture CO2 from four plants around the Peak District.
- The new pipeline will contribute to the decarbonization of the industry as part of the Carbon Capture and Storage value chain.
- Sumitomo Corporation aims to promote Energy Transformation as part of its Medium-Term Management Plan through this investment.
- Since 2022, Progressive Energy has collaborated with cement manufacturers Tarmac, Breedon, SigmaRoc, and Holcim on this project.
- Summit Energy Evolution Limited, through a joint venture with Progressive Energy, will invest equity into Peak Cluster Limited, the project company for the pipeline development.
- The UK government's National Wealth Fund is also investing in the project.
- The total planned investment of £59.6 million will be used for the pipeline project development, aiming for a Final Investment Decision by 2028.
- CCS technology is essential for decarbonizing the cement and lime sectors due to high process emissions.
- The UK government targets capturing 50 million tons of CO2 annually by 2035, with the Peak Cluster project playing a critical role in that effort.
- The buried onshore pipeline will transport captured CO2 to be permanently stored under the seabed of the East Irish Sea as part of the Morecambe Net Zero project.
- The project will help decarbonize hard-to-abate industries and is expected to create and safeguard 13,000 jobs.
- Sumitomo Corporation has extensive experience in CO2 capture, transport, and storage, building on knowledge from its oil and gas operations since the 1970s.
- The company plans to expand its CO2 transport and storage capabilities in the UK and leverage its experience for business growth in the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
- The CO2 transport pipeline project is under development by Peak Cluster Limited, with shareholders including several major cement companies and the National Wealth Fund.
Investment in CO2 transportation pipeline project to decarbonize UK cement and lime industry
Transporting 3 million tonnes of CO2 annually from UK’s largest group of cement and lime production plants, which account for 40% of the country’s total production -
Sumitomo Corporation (head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Shingo Ueno), through its wholly-owned subsidiary in the UK, Summit Energy Evolution Limited (“SEEL”), has agreed new funding for the development of the CO2 transport pipeline, to support Peak Cluster Carbon Capture project (“Peak Cluster”). Peak Cluster will capture CO2 from four plants in and around the Peak District, which currently produce 40% of the UK’s domestic cement and lime production, vital for key sectors of the economy including construction, manufacturing and environmental protection. CO2 transported by new-build pipeline will contribute to the industry’s decarbonization as part of the CCS (*1) value chain. Through this investment, Sumitomo Corporation will further promote Energy Transformation, one of the growth areas in its current Medium-Term Management Plan.
Since originating the project in 2022, Progressive Energy, a UK low carbon energy developer, has collaborated with the cement manufacturers Tarmac, Breedon, SigmaRoc and Holcim through pre-FEED (Front-End Engineering and Design).
SEEL, through its joint venture vehicle Progressive Energy Peak Limited (“PEPL”), has agreed to make equity investment into Peak Cluster Limited (“PCL”), the project company for the CO2 transport pipeline development. National Wealth Fund, the UK government's principal investor and policy bank, is also making a new investment in PCL.
The planned total investment of £59.6 million will be used to further develop the CO2 transport pipeline project through to a Final Investment Decision (FID) as early as 2028. This includes the successful completion of FEED and other studies that underpin the regulatory approval and consenting process.
Cement and lime are two of the hardest industrial sectors to decarbonize due to the high levels of process emissions which cannot be mitigated through a transition to low carbon fuels. CCS is therefore essential to the decarbonization of the sector.
The UK is a leading country in the global CCS sector, with the government aiming to capture 50 million tons of CO2 annually by 2035. Peak Cluster will decarbonize the UK’s largest group of cement and lime plants, and transport 3 million tonnes of CO2 annually, contributing to the realization of UK Government’s target.
The new build buried onshore pipeline will become part of a full value chain CCS network, which will transport the CO2 emissions captured on industry sites to the coast, to be stored permanently deep under the seabed of the East Irish Sea within Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ) project (*2) being developed by Spirit Energy, a UK energy company. Peak Cluster CCS network will help decarbonize hard-to-abate industries and secure the future of this critical industry and safeguard and create 13,000 jobs including the Spirit Energy’s storage.
Sumitomo Corporation has been developing its CO2 capture, transport/storage and utilization businesses by leveraging the experience accumulated since the 1970s in the upstream oil and gas business, as well as its knowledge of various business domains and supply chains. In addition to its acquisition of two carbon storage licenses in the UK in 2023, the company will further build up its experience in CO2 transport and storage in the UK. The CO2 transport is a pre-matured business with potential commercial and technical challenges, which requires significant experience and capabilities to achieve the commercialization. Sumitomo Corporation will leverage its experience gained from global CCS activities as well as steel pipeline supply business to advance this project, using the knowledge gained there to expand its business to the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.
Profile of the Company
Company name Summit Energy Evolution Limited (SEEL)
Head office location London, United Kingdom
Representative Paul Lafferty
Year established 2021
Description of business Low-carbon energy projects (CCUS (*3), low-carbon hydrogen production etc.)
Profile of CO2 transport pipeline development project
Project Company Peak Cluster Limited
Description of business Pipeline development for CO2 collection and transportation business
Shareholders National Wealth Fund
Tarmac Cement Limited
Breedon Cement Limited
Holcim UK Cement Limited
SigmaRoc plc
Progressive Energy Peak Limited (joint venture between SEEL and Progressive Energy Limited)
Decision on development 2028
CO2 volume Circa 3 million tonnes per year
(*1) CCS: abbreviation for Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, i.e., the capture and storage of CO2 emitted from industrial activities
(*2) Morecambe Net Zero project: a project in collaboration with Peak Cluster to repurpose depleted gas fields in the East Irish Sea for carbon storage, offering scalable and secure capacity for industrial emissions.
(*3) CCUS: abbreviation for Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization and Storage, i.e., the capture, storage and utilization of CO2 emitted from industrial activities