Direct Air Capture (DAC) involves removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it so that it cannot contribute to climate change. Some carbon dioxide (CO2) can also be ‘recycled’ for other purposes such as conversion into synthetic fuels. Nuclear is regarded as the cheapest way of producing low-carbon heat and has the potential to significantly lower the cost of deploying DAC in future.
Sizewell C has partnered with the University of Nottingham, Strata Technology, Atkins and Doosan Babcock to form the DAC consortium.
Together, we have been awarded £3 million by the Government to construct a demonstrator DAC unit capable of extracting 100 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. We also recently signed an MoU with Associated British Ports to locate the demonstrator DAC facility at the Port of Lowestoft.
All engineering, design, construction and testing activities for the pilot will be carried out in the UK to develop British DAC technology.
A full-scale DAC system linked to Sizewell C would be built away from the power station and operated without any significant impact on its electricity output.
Sizewell C is already set to be one of the biggest Net Zero projects in the UK. Linking it to other low-carbon technologies can bring even more flexibility and value to the energy system. Our plans could support the local economy and stimulate a low-carbon hydrogen and direct air capture market in the East of England.
Once operational, Sizewell C could produce hydrogen for a variety of uses including:
