Here at Think Hire, we’re all for finding ways to reduce the amount of carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere. We’ve led the way in making clean, renewable energy available to construction sites and other venues across the UK with our innovative Solartainer Versatile solar powered generators, backed by powerful, portable SiteGrid X3 and SiteGrid X45 battery hybrid generator packs.

So we were pleased to learn that the UK Government has committed £22bn to fund state of the art carbon capture projects on Merseyside and in Teeside over the next 25years. But what exactly is carbon capture, why is it needed and is it really the answer to climate change?

What is carbon capture?

Carbon capture is exactly what it sounds like. It is a process by which CO2 emissions from industry and power stations are captured before they are released into the atmosphere. This captured CO2 is then pumped deep underground where it is stored safely and permanently. These two new projects involve storing the CO2 in the bedrock beneath Liverpool Bay and under the North Sea.

It is estimated that these two projects will prevent up to 8.5million tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere every year, starting from 2028.

Why is carbon capture needed?

There has been a significant shift towards renewable energy in recent years, from companies hiring the Solartainer Versatile to power their sites, to large scale wind, solar and tidal projects. However, there are inevitably processes that still generate carbon emissions. Much of heavy industry is still polluting, and fossil-fuel power stations are still needed when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.

Carbon capture is part of a much bigger range of measures aimed at reducing the UK’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. As we recently reported, Merseyside will also be home to a major new tidal power project with a barrage stretching right across the river.

Is carbon capture really the answer to climate change?

The answer to this question depends on who you ask. The £22bn investment will only remove 8.5million tonnes per year – a fraction of the UK’s overall carbon output of 417.1million tonnes in 2022. But just like we say here at Think Hire, the Government would argue that every little helps.

The major climate organisations, such as Friends of the Earth, are less impressed. For them, carbon capture is very much a case of treating the symptoms without actually addressing the disease. They argue that carbon capture actually facilitates fossil fuel use, rather than discouraging it.

Greenpeace policy director, Doug Parr, suggested that the spending would be better used creating offshore wind farms or insulating homes, rather than supporting polluting power stations. “£22bn is a lot of money to…extend the life of planet-heating oil and gas production” he said.

Stop producing carbon in the first place

While any measures to reduce the greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere are always to be welcomed, here at Think Hire, we believe that the best approach is to not create these gasses in the first place.

Our Solartainers provide all the power your site needs, with little or no fossil fuel use or associated emissions. The Solartainer Versatile is portable, dependable and scalable to suit any site, and Think Hire can supply all the ancillaries you need to make the most of your clean, carbon-free power, including SiteGrid X3 battery packs to store excess energy and move it to exactly where it is needed.

To find out more about reducing the carbon emissions from your site with Solartainer Versatile solar powered generators, contact Think Hire today on 0330 133 2222 or complete the contact form online.