(P&GJ) — Sumitomo Corporation is investing in a carbon dioxide transport pipeline that will support the Peak Cluster carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the UK, the company announced through its subsidiary Summit Energy Evolution Limited (SEEL).

The pipeline will transport up to 3 million tonnes of CO₂ annually from four cement and lime plants near the UK’s Peak District. These plants account for 40% of the country’s domestic cement and lime production, making them a significant contributor to the UK’s industrial emissions.

“This project will contribute to decarbonizing one of the UK’s hardest-to-abate sectors,” the company stated, adding that the buried, onshore pipeline will form part of a full CCS value chain. Captured CO₂ will be sent to the coast and stored under the seabed in the East Irish Sea’s Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ) project, led by Spirit Energy.

The total planned investment for the project is £59.6 million, which will fund front-end engineering and design (FEED) and regulatory studies ahead of a Final Investment Decision (FID) expected by 2028. The UK’s National Wealth Fund is also making a new equity investment in Peak Cluster Limited (PCL), alongside SEEL and project originator Progressive Energy.

“Cement and lime are two of the hardest industrial sectors to decarbonize due to the high levels of process emissions which cannot be mitigated through a transition to low carbon fuels,” the release noted.

Sumitomo says the initiative builds on its broader carbon storage business strategy, including two UK offshore storage licenses secured in 2023. The company views CO₂ transport as a pre-commercial space with significant technical and operational complexity and says it will leverage its global CCS experience and pipeline supply business to expand into markets across the Americas and Asia-Pacific.

The Peak Cluster project is expected to support or secure 13,000 jobs, including those tied to Spirit Energy’s storage operations.