The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched an independent review into carbon removal technologies to support the UK ’s net zero goals.
The review, accompanied by a public call for evidence, focuses on evaluating the role of technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) in offsetting emissions from hard-to-abate sectors.
DESNZ is gathering input from industry stakeholders to assess the potential scale, economic costs, barriers, and co-benefits of deploying greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies.
The insights will inform future government policy, with recommendations due in Autumn 2025. The call for evidence is open until 20 June.
The review highlights the waste sector as a priority, with energy-from-waste (EfW) plants offering a key opportunity for BECCS applications by capturing biogenic CO2 from waste combustion.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) estimates such projects could remove up to 5 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2050.
To make EfW more climate-compatible, fossil-derived content in waste must be minimized while increasing the proportion of biogenic materials such as food waste, paper, wood, and textiles, according to FCC Environment.
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The review intersects with major policy developments, including the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to cover EfW from 2026 and full carbon pricing by 2028.
In parallel, England is consulting on a ban on biodegradable waste in landfills by 2028, helping divert feedstock toward BECCS and other low-emission pathways.
In addition to BECCS and DACCS, the review will also consider nature-based carbon removal solutions, such as composting organic waste, to reduce methane emissions from landfills and strengthen the UK’s overall decarbonization strategy.
Read more: Carbon Clean CO2 Capture Tech Passes Key Test In The UK
