Industry across southwest England, the Midlands and South Wales is a major step closer to accessing the UK’s carbon capture and storage ecosystem, following a new agreement to advance a carbon capture and shipping hub at Avonmouth Docks, at the Port of Bristol.
Severnside Carbon and Exolum, Europe’s leading energy logistics company, have signed a new agreement under which Exolum will create a new subsidiary, ‘Exolum 7CO2’, to invest and lead the next phase of development of a major new carbon dioxide CO2 storage terminal at Avonmouth. Técnicas Reunidas, the leading Spanish engineering firm, will also act as a partner.
To date, only industry in four UK clusters in northern England and Scotland has had the opportunity to access UK government-backed carbon capture, transport, and storage infrastructure, which is seen as key to safeguarding industry through the energy transition. Around half of UK industrial emissions fall outside of these areas, with industry in South Wales alone responsible for 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions.
The terminal will be the UK’s first large-scale CO2 hub designed for flexible, modular transport by rail and ship, helping accelerate deployment. Exolum 7CO2 expects operations to start from 2031.
Once operational, the terminal could handle up to six million tonnes of CO2 a year from existing emitters – equivalent to the south-west of England’s total annual emissions – helping safeguard industrial competitiveness as decarbonisation requirements tighten.
Emerging industries – including regional data centres with 24/7 carbon free power needs and sustainable aviation fuel projects already under development – could also invest in CCUS, supported by the terminal’s capabilities. By providing open-access CO2 logistics, the terminal will create a clearer route for energy-intensive businesses to capture, transport and store emissions.
Exolum is committing significant resources to the project, with a dedicated team focused on integrating the terminal with its existing UK energy infrastructure. Exolum will apply a safety-first operating approach to strengthen reliability, reduce delivery risk, and give customers and partners confidence as the project moves through development.
Severnside Carbon will continue working with Exolum 7CO2 as advisers, ensuring continuity and consistency of approach to the terminal’s development, and maintaining the close relationship with public and private stakeholders. It will also, separately, continue its development work on ‘capture as a service’ opportunities and a major regional investment into sustainable aviation fuel.
Técnicas Reunidas, underpinned by its existing collaboration agreement with Exolum, will act as Engineering Partner for the carbon hub and as development partner for related projects, contributing its extensive experience in delivering large scale energy infrastructure to ensure a robust and efficient design of the project, as part of track, its Low Carbon Business Unit.
Paul Davies, co-founder of Severnside Carbon, noted: 'Exolum’s investment in the 7CO2 terminal is a significant step forward, giving regional emitters and wider stakeholders confidence to invest in carbon capture and related industries. Exolum brings the operational excellence, specialist capability, and financial strength to reduce delivery risk and take the terminal from development into operation.'
Nacho Casajús, Senior Vice President at Exolum Global Energy Logistics, said: 'The energy transition needs resilient, future-ready infrastructure that gives industry access to the carbon capture ecosystem. Through Exolum 7CO2, we are using our energy logistics expertise to create an independent, open-access CO2 terminal that can scale over time – accelerating carbon capture across England and South Wales, with the reliability and high standards customers expect from Exolum.'
Joaquín Pérez de Ayala, Head of track, the Low Carbon Business Unit of Técnicas Reunidas, said: 'Técnicas Reunidas, through track, is doubling down its bet on decarbonisation. We are very proud to be supporting Severnside Carbon and Exolum in this project. For track, working from the onset with sound partners is key for enabling low carbon investments. This project reinforces our collaboration with Exolum, adding to the carbon hubs we are developing in Spain.'
Source: Exolum
