DESNZ seeks industry opinions on technologies to capture greenhouse gases, including carbon capture and storage from EfW facilities.
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched an independent review into greenhouse gas removals (GGRs), seeking evidence on how these technologies can support the nation’s net zero targets.
Coming alongside a call for evidence, the review will examine how technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) can help balance residual emissions from hard-to-decarbonise sectors.
By engaging with stakeholders, it aims to understand the opportunities and challenges of GGRs, as well as the economic cost of deploying GGSs, in order to provide the government with recommendations on how best to use these technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
According to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the waste sector remains the eighth highest-emitting sector in the UK, with the Seventh Carbon Budget suggesting that all new energy from waste (EfW) plants must have a viable route to connecting to carbon capture and storage.
The call for evidence includes eleven questions that aim to allow stakeholders to shape future GGR policy, including questions about the potential scale, the co-benefits, the barriers and enablers, and the economic costs of GGRs in the UK.
The Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA)’s Richard Coulson commented: “Importantly, the call for evidence asks about the barriers to and enablers for GGR deployment in the UK.
“It is critical that we have urgent clarity over future support for waste wood biomass to enable these plants to transition to carbon capture and storage technology following the expiry of ROCs from 2027.”
Treating carbon in the waste industry
BECCS technology combines bioenergy generation with carbon capture and storage, creating a pathway to achieving negative emissions.
Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities present a direct BECCS application for the waste sector, with the plants able to capture and store biogenic CO2 from waste combustion. The CCC estimates that projects underway could potentially achieve annual CO2e removals of five million tonnes by 2050 through this approach.
According to FCC Environment, to effectively decarbonise EfW, the proportion of fossil carbon in waste must be minimised, and the biogenic component - food waste, wood, paper, and natural textiles - should form the majority of residual waste.
Beyond BECCS, the review will also examine DACCS and nature-based solutions that offer opportunities for carbon removal. This includes composting organic waste as another method to divert methane-producing materials from landfills and reduce direct emissions.
Regulations for carbon removal
The greenhouse gas removals review intersects with several key waste policies that will shape the sector's decarbonisation pathway.
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is being extended to include emissions from waste incineration, specifically EfW facilities, beginning in 2026 with full costs applicable from 2028.
Biodegradable waste landfill bans represent another significant policy driver, with England consulting on the elimination of biodegradable waste from landfills by 2028. These bans not only reduce direct methane emissions but also funnel biogenic waste streams toward alternative treatments like AD and EfW, creating predictable feedstock for BECCS applications.
The recommendations and findings from the review are expected to be reported to the DESNZ Secretary of State in Autumn 2025, with a government response to follow. The deadline for answers to the call for evidence is 20 June 2025.
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