The Ince Biomass plant is located at the Protos energy and resource hub in Ince, Cheshire.
Marking it out as a credible front-runner in supporting the UK’s efforts to get BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) up and running, low-carbon energy-from-waste wood company Evero has been selected to enter negotiations to potentially transform its Ince Biomass plant into the nation’s first such facility to run at commercial scale.
Located within the HyNet Cluster, the project will retrofit existing bioenergy capacity with Mitsubishi Heavy Industry’s proven carbon capture technology, offering an apparently scalable and cost-effective solution that can be swiftly implemented.
Evero InBECCS is one of two prioritised projects on the Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero’s Project Negotiation List.
Other BECCS projects and pilot studies in the UK include Drax’s long-standing ambitions to implement the approach at its North Yorkshire site (with CO2 removal demonstrated at pilot scale), but this seems to be at a less advanced level of progression through the government’s project pipeline.
With this selection the Evero project will:
Remove 217,000 tonnes of CO2 per year from the atmosphere.
Support the circular economy by processing 170,000 tonnes of domestic waste wood annually at Evero’s Ince plant, including materials like old kitchens and manufacturing wood waste diverted from landfill.
Provide ongoing clean energy generation powering over 100,000 homes and businesses each year across the Evero portfolio.
The project also strengthens the UK’s leadership in green innovation by creating high-value, skilled jobs in carbon capture and clean energy technology.
Evero said it can leverage the region’s HyNet Cluster carbon capture transport and storage network, optimising the UK’s investment in this infrastructure. “By integrating with HyNet, Evero’s InBECCS ensures efficient transportation and storage of captured carbon, maximising the network’s potential and reinforcing the UK’s commitment to pioneering clean energy solutions,” said a statement from the group.
Elliot Renton, CEO of Evero, said:
“This project marks the next step in Evero’s strategy to deliver BECCS-based greenhouse gas removals from multiple waste wood sites across the UK. We’re proud to pioneer this new model — one that supports clean energy, removes CO2 from the atmosphere, and opens the door to wider collaboration beyond our existing portfolio. It’s a foundational move to scale BECCS and help realise the UK’s net zero ambitions.”
Industry Minister Sarah Jones said: “We are securing the jobs of the future, the power for our homes and the protection of our planet by becoming world leaders on carbon capture and storage.
The use of BECCS with post-consumer waste wood is another novel element, and contrasts the project with the more common usage of energy crops and forestry residues.
“These new projects will bring industrial renewal, unlock growth and secure an additional 800 good, skilled jobs for local people across North Wales and the North West – taking the total supported by HyNet to 2,800 – all part of our Plan for Change.”
Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said: “It’s fantastic to see Evero’s InBECCS project confirmed as part of the expansion of HyNet. It’s a project which is on track to become a proven pathfinder in the industry, and the first project operating under the UK Government’s Greenhouse Gas Removal business model.
If we are to meet our binding climate targets, it is of utmost importance that we maintain momentum on UK CCUS deployment. In particular, building large-scale integrated CCUS clusters – like HyNet – that safeguards critical industries, creates jobs, delivers economic growth and delivers a secure energy system.”
InBECCS aims to retrofit the current bioenergy capacity with carbon capture technology by 2029, further contributing to the mission of providing clean power.
The project is intended to provide clean energy to the grid while permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
