Sumitomo Corporation, through its UK subsidiary Summit Energy Evolution Limited (SEEL), is investing in a new CO₂ transport pipeline serving the Peak Cluster, a major carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the UK. This initiative aims to decarbonise four cement and lime plants, which collectively produce 40% of the UK’s cement and lime output—essential materials for construction, manufacturing, and environmental sectors.
“This project supports our Energy Transformation strategy and underscores our commitment to advancing decarbonisation across hard-to-abate sectors,” said Shingo Ueno, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation.
Since 2022, UK-based low-carbon energy developer Progressive Energy has led the project, collaborating with cement manufacturers Tarmac, Breedon, SigmaRoc, and Holcim through the pre-FEED phase. SEEL, through the joint venture Progressive Energy Peak Limited (PEPL), will now provide equity investment in Peak Cluster Limited (PCL), the entity responsible for the CO₂ pipeline. The UK’s National Wealth Fund is also contributing to the funding round.
The £59.6 million investment will support the project through to Final Investment Decision (FID), targeted for 2028. This includes completing Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED), advancing regulatory approvals, and securing environmental consents.
“Cement and lime are among the hardest sectors to decarbonise due to unavoidable process emissions. CCS is not optional—it’s essential,” said a spokesperson for Progressive Energy.
The project’s onshore buried pipeline will transport CO₂ emissions to the coast, where they will be injected for permanent storage beneath the East Irish Sea via Spirit Energy’s Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ) storage facility. The full CCS network is expected to secure and generate 13,000 jobs across the industrial value chain, including storage operations.
The UK government aims to capture 50 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2035, and the Peak Cluster pipeline will contribute 3 million tonnes per year towards that target.
“The Peak Cluster will not only enable deep decarbonisation of our plants but also ensure industrial resilience in the region,” stated representatives from the participating manufacturers.
Sumitomo brings decades of experience to the project, stemming from its upstream oil and gas ventures since the 1970s. In 2023, it acquired two carbon storage licenses in the UK. The company views this project as foundational for scaling CO₂ transport and storage solutions into other global markets.
“The CO₂ transport sector presents complex commercial and technical challenges,” the company stated. “We will leverage our global CCS experience and steel pipeline expertise to commercialise and expand this business to the Americas and Asia-Pacific.”
This marks a strategic milestone for Sumitomo’s Medium-Term Management Plan, with carbon storage as a central pillar of its Energy Transformation efforts.
