Morning, Monday, 29th June 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the UK.
The planned agenda will include a focus on the way forward for deployment across clusters, the evolving regulatory and investment landscape, and implications for supply chains, infrastructure planning, and the UK’s wider net zero pathway.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss priorities as HyNet and the East Coast Cluster move from financial close into early construction, and as the Government considers the future design of the carbon transport and storage system. Delegates will discuss what will be needed to support deployment, as well as issues around investor confidence, and workable commercial and regulatory arrangements as projects move forward.
Further discussion is expected on the outlook for Acorn and Viking, including implications of the CMA’s subsidy referral and priorities for progressing towards final investment decision. Attendees will consider the evolving regulatory framework - including the updated minimum capture rate, termination thresholds for sustained underperformance, and proposed changes to system governance, operator obligations, and risk allocation - and implications for cluster development, financing conditions, and options for long-term deployment.
Planned sessions will also examine the investment, supply chain, workforce, and infrastructure requirements associated with scaling up of CCUS, including access to transport and storage networks for projects beyond Track-1 clusters. Consideration will be given to procurement and commissioning capacity, grid and logistics constraints, storage and network availability, pipeline and corridor development, and approaches to land use, planning, environmental risk, and public confidence as deployment moves forward.
Overall areas for discussion include:
- policy and regulatory framework:
- the Government consultation on future carbon transport and storage system design - governance structures, operator obligations and risk allocation
- implications for investment conditions and long-term deployment
- cluster delivery progress:
- HyNet and East Coast Cluster transition from financial close to early construction - procurement and commissioning experience - supply chain readiness and lessons for wider rollout
- track-2 cluster pathway:
- outlook for Acorn and Viking projects - implications of the CMA subsidy referral - options and timelines for progressing towards final investment decision
- regulatory performance rules:
- updated minimum capture rate and termination thresholds for sustained underperformance - monitoring, reporting and verification expectations
- implications for financing and project risk allocation
- network access arrangements:
- operation of the Transition Access Agreement - enabling additional users to connect to carbon transport and storage networks - routes to market for projects beyond Track-1 clusters
- transport and storage infrastructure:
- sequencing construction of pipelines, terminals and offshore stores - development of strategic pipeline corridors - addressing regional storage capacity and network constraints
- supply chain and workforce:
- procurement and fabrication capacity for capture and transport infrastructure - commissioning capability and technical expertise - workforce development and specialist skills availability
- system integration:
- electricity demand for large-scale capture facilities - grid connection timelines within industrial clusters - implications for power network planning and reliability
- planning and environmental considerations:
- land acquisition and routing for carbon pipelines - coordination across planning authorities and environmental regulators - managing uncertainty around long-term environmental risks
- public confidence:
- local perceptions of carbon transport and storage infrastructure - approaches to community engagement and transparency - role of CCUS within the UK’s wider net zero strategy
