What plans does the Welsh Government have to work with the energy industry and local authorities to bring forward plans for installing carbon capture and storage at Wales’s existing energy-from-waste plants, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee in the report on Wales' Fourth Carbon Budget?
Welsh Government recognises the vital contribution carbon capture and storage (CCS) will make to decarbonising the energy system and industry in Wales. Following a public consultation, Welsh Government will shortly publish our strategic policy which supports the use of CCS technology where it makes a clear and sustained contribution to decarbonisation. This policy will provide additional clarity for developers and encourage investment in Wales that will facilitate long-term decarbonisation and build a stronger, greener economy.
Welsh Government is working closely with the UK Government through the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Ministerial Group, official level regulatory groups and Net Zero Industry Wales. We are also in talks with Local Authorities, Natural Resources Wales, the North Sea Transition Authority and other regulators to ensure the CCS consenting requirements are clear, timely and effective. Welsh Government is also engaging with energy from waste companies, the wider energy and CCS sector (across capture, transport of CO2, storage providers and supply chain companies), and meet regularly with HyNet and its consortium partners to better understand their proposals and offer support as appropriate.
In March, Enfinium (an energy from waste operator) announced that it will transfer its CCS pilot plant from its current site in West Yorkshire to Parc Adfer, enabling its north Wales site to be the first carbon capture project in Wales. Welsh Government officials meet every four weeks with the HyNet project team, as well as HyNet Alliance members such as Enfinium to discuss how the Welsh Government can support individual project developments.