By Abbas Nazil
UK-based carbon capture company Nuada will install a demonstration carbon capture system at the Singleton Birch lime production site, operated by US chemical lime company MLC.
The project aims to test Nuada’s technology in reducing carbon emissions from lime manufacturing, a sector where decarbonization has historically been challenging.
Most emissions in lime production occur during calcination, a process where calcium carbonate is heated to produce quicklime, releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide.
By deploying the system at an operating lime plant, Nuada and MLC plan to gather performance data that could inform future large-scale carbon capture projects.
The demonstration will also assess the technology’s suitability for wider industrial application in a hard-to-abate sector, where traditional CO2 capture systems face energy and integration constraints.
Nuada’s carbon capture solution is designed for industrial environments requiring low energy consumption and compact installation, making it particularly suitable for lime manufacturing facilities.
Singleton Birch, one of the UK’s longest-running lime production plants, supplies high-purity lime products to the construction, metals, environmental protection, water treatment, and agricultural sectors.
Dr Jose Casaban, co-CEO of Nuada, said the collaboration with MLC demonstrates how advanced materials and engineering can support deep emissions reduction in industrial sectors with untapped carbon capture potential.
Fiona Woody, MLC’s director of sustainability and ESG, emphasized the company’s commitment to evaluating and investing in technologies to reduce its carbon footprint and progress toward climate targets.
MLC has set a goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050, recognizing that most lime emissions are unavoidable during the calcining process.
Accordingly, carbon capture technology is seen as the most promising method for significantly reducing the sector’s climate impact.
The project will provide insights into the operational feasibility, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits of Nuada’s system in a real-world industrial setting.
Both Nuada and MLC hope the demonstration will pave the way for broader deployment across the company’s operations and encourage adoption in the wider lime and chemical industries.
The initiative highlights the role of technological innovation, industrial partnership, and infrastructure development in achieving substantial emissions reductions in heavy industry.
By showcasing carbon capture in lime production, the project could set a precedent for other hard-to-abate sectors seeking viable decarbonization solutions.
Successful implementation may accelerate the industrial adoption of compact, energy-efficient carbon capture systems and contribute meaningfully to national and global climate goals.
The demonstration is expected to generate critical data for policymakers, investors, and industrial operators interested in low-carbon production pathways and sustainable manufacturing.
Nuada and MLC’s collaboration underscores the growing recognition of carbon capture as a central strategy for mitigating industrial greenhouse gas emissions.