industrial chemists, and engineers gather, yet land is still available for development. While nuclear sites like Sellafield still form a large part of the economy, Cumbria has been known as the ‘Energy Coast’ since the 2000s, largely due to a different form of energy production. The landscape is now home to multiple renewables projects delivering clean and green power. The facility is expected to generate 400-600 direct jobs during its construction phase and sustain more than 50 full-time, skilled roles once operational in 2031. Not to mention all the indirect jobs. These are not short-term wins but long-term, future-proofed opportunities that make the West Cumbrian coastline an integral part of the new green economy. It would be remiss not to highlight the potential this could have on the town. The Workington wards of St Michael’s and Moss Bay are among the most deprived areas in England, according to the Cumbria Intelligence Observatory. It is an area that could benefit from precisely this kind of local opportunity. Conclusion The real story behind ASAP-DAC is the collaborations which make it possible. It exists because of the individuals who are able to look beyond the now and seize the opportunities which will make our air cleaner, our planet healthier, and our communities more prosperous. As a pathfinder in this emerging market, CNF shows that pioneering projects cannot move forward in isolation. They require strong partnerships with technology leaders, investors, and innovators to share risk, pool expertise, and turn ambitious concepts into bankable reality. In many ways, this is a microcosm of the emerging climate tech economy on a global scale. We know that short-termism and self- interested thinking created the problems we face today, but we also know that innovation through collaboration can provide the tools to solve them.
Size of the opportunity
UK Market Projections
£1.8bn
£10.8bn
2030
2050
EU Market Projections EU E-Fuel Market Size (excluding UK)
€5bn
€27bn
2030
2050
Figure 3 Market projections for e-fuels
generate significant revenue in places that need it (see Figure 3 ). The Department for Transport estimates that low-carbon fuel production could add up to £5 billion to the UK economy by 2050, and much of this production is sited in former industrial towns and cities, predominantly in the North of the country. The local community The local community is also a key piece of the puzzle. ASAP-DAC’s location has been carefully chosen, with the hopes that the host town of Workington will become a large part of the ASAP-DAC community. This would be an interesting case of historical alliteration, as Cumbria has a rich energy history. Cumbrian coal helped power the Industrial Revolution, including providing much of the coal used in Ireland. This historical fact reflects another of ASAP- DAC’s boons. As one of the few SAF facilities in the North-West, the site is ideally placed to provide e-SAF not only to the British mainland, but also to Ireland and the EU. Cumbria’s coal-rich past has also left its mark on the infrastructure of the region. Ports and railway lines effectively link this part of the UK well for those willing to travel beyond the Pennines, either for tourism or for business. Beyond coal, Cumbria became the birthplace of commercial nuclear power when the world’s first commercial nuclear power station opened at Calder Hall in 1956. Since then, it has become a real hub for industrial innovation, which can seem paradoxical in a landscape which is largely rural and agricultural. Yet this is what gives Cumbria its rich potential for a company like CNF. There are few places in Britain where such a rich collection of researchers, technicians,
Isobel Thomas-Horton izzy@cnf.energy
www.decarbonisationtechnology.com
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