Firm takes the lead role on carbon capture plant
ASKELMERSDALE construction firm has been appointed as the principal contractor for a £17m carbon capture plant.
Hawkins Construction will lead work to create the largest plant of its kind in the UK on behalf of Tata Chemical Europe (TCE) in Northwich.
The ground-breaking project, announced by the minister for clean energy and growth in 2019, is a key project aimed at demonstrating the viability of industrial scale carbon capture and utilisation technology.
That process involves removing carbon dioxide from heat and power plant emission, with the gas then purified and liquified for use in the manufacture of sodium bicarbonate.
The TCE site is the largest single site user of carbon dioxide in the UK, and intends to capture emissions equivalent to 22,000 cars being taken off the road, contributing to the Government’s recently announced target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Hawkins has a long track record in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing sector for clients such as Heinz, AstraZeneca, Weetabix, Thornton & Ross, Dairy Crest and British Salt.
Its work on the CCU plant will include managing the entire construction project; creating a 13m deep site the size of a football pitch to prepare for equipment installation; steel works for a dedicated substation, and installation of CCU equipment.
Hawkins director Ben Birchall said: “We’re delighted to have been appointed to deliver this high-profile project on behalf of Tata Chemicals Europe.
“It is a strategically important project for all stakeholders: to the UK on its pathway to net zero emissions and for Tata as the company aims to reduce emissions and provide a critical raw material.
“This project is a major win for Hawkins, as it supports our expansion and demonstrates our ability to deliver clean growth projects on behalf of our clients.
“We’ve been looking to build our project portfolio in the clean growth and chemicals sector for a number of years, and this venture is the culmination of this effort.
“There is a stringent time line to this project, and I’m confident that our highly experienced team will deliver in time and within budget, while also ensuring that the health and safety of all those on the site continues to be of paramount importance.”
Ladan Iravanian, project director at TCE added, said: “We first worked with Hawkins in 2018 at our British Salt manufacturing site.
“The project they completed for us at this time was implemented extremely well, and we are pleased to be working with Ben and the Hawkins team again as we deliver this hugely exciting carbon capture and utilisation project.”