Minister Shanks Underscores Central Role of CCUS in Powering Low-Carbon Future and Industrial Decarbonisation at CCSA Annual Conference

(Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA)) At today (October 14, 2025)’s Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) annual conference, Minister Shanks, Minister for Energy in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, delivered a keynote address emphasising that Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is essential to delivering clean power and industrial decarbonisation and that the UK must accelerate deployment if it is to meet its climate ambitions.

Speaking at the Conference, Minister Shanks reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering a cleaner, stronger and more industrially resilient Britain, powered by CCUS.

Minister Shanks emphasised that CCUS is a critical part of the UK’s future energy system and the path to achieving net zero, recognising the pivotal role of industry partners and organisations like the CCSA. He highlighted that the Government is now in delivery mode – getting projects off the ground and results delivered.

Referencing his recent visit to Heidelberg’s Padeswood Cement Works, Minister Shanks noted that as the UK is in “build baby build mode,” demand for cement and other industrial materials will rise. The answer, he said, lies in carbon capture technology, helping to keep vital industrial jobs while cutting emissions.

He praised the apprentices at Padeswood who are “excited by the opportunity” and “understand the potential this technology brings.” Delivering for communities across the UK’s industrial heartlands, he said, is key to the Government’s mission to create well-paid, long-term jobs across the country.

Minister Shanks confirmed that the Government is actively signing contracts and advancing major projects, reaffirming determination “to get this industry moving.”

The Minister also spoke about the importance of international collaboration, noting recent discussions at the G20 about building an interconnected global CCUS sector. However, he acknowledged that more must be done to raise public awareness of the role of CCUS in tackling climate change and creating economic prosperity. He set out the importance of reiterating these benefits as projects deploy, with investment and jobs delivered.

The UK’s CCUS industry is moving from concept to construction, with financial close reached for the first UK projects and momentum growing across Europe.

These projects represent significant steps forward in cutting emissions across hard-to-abate sectors, supporting thousands of jobs and new supply chain opportunities.

On the ground, this progress is already translating into tangible benefits. In Teesside, the Tees Valley Net Zero Industry Scholarship is training 141 individuals in high-demand industrial skills, including welding, pipefitting and instrumentation, supported by Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership.

With world-leading offshore expertise and vast geological storage potential, the UK is uniquely positioned to lead globally in this transformative technology.

To capture the full potential of CCUS, the CCSA calls on the Government to set out a clear route to market and allocation timetable for all further projects and clusters. The development funding committed in the Spending Review to The Acorn Project and Viking CCS must be allocated, in preparation for a funding envelope for the next CCUS clusters to reach financial close within this Parliament.

Non-pipeline transport (NPT) frameworks to enable CO₂ transport by road, rail and ship must be accelerated and barriers to cross-border CO₂ storage removed – unlocking new market opportunities for the UK.

“This is a defining moment for the UK’s CCUS industry. We’re moving from ambition to action, with projects breaking ground, investments flowing and jobs being created across our industrial regions. CCUS isn’t just about cutting emissions; it’s about securing the future of UK industry, driving regional growth and positioning Britain as a global leader in clean technologies.”

About the CCSA 
CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS). 

The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations. 

The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2 transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.  READ MORE