PURSUING STRATEGIC ENERGY TRANSITION OPPORTUNITIES FROM OUR EXISTING ASSETS WITH MNZ
With Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ), our Mission is to provide a permanent decarbonisation solution, converting the depleted South and North Morecambe gas fields off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness to provide a permanent, safe and secure carbon storage.
This state-of-the-art facility has the potential to be one of the UK’s largest carbon stores, capable of storing a gigaton of carbon dioxide - equivalent to three years’ worth of current UK carbon emissions.
Carbon dioxide will be transported to the site by pipeline, ship or rail, offering a long-term decarbonisation solution for emitting industries. This will allow carbon-intensive businesses to remain productive while meeting the UK’s Net Zero targets, securing thousands of jobs in traditional industrial heartlands and creating new employment opportunities.
For more than 40 years, Spirit Energy has operated the South Morecambe and North Morecambe fields. Once repurposed, the fields have the potential to form the core of a future low-carbon hub in the North West, which could attract millions of pounds in international investment and create new, highly-skilled green jobs.
How does it work?
What is CCUS
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is a way of reducing carbon dioxide from emitting industries, which can help them on the path to Net Zero. It follows a three-step process involving: capturing carbon dioxide produced by industrial activity, transporting it via pipeline, ship, or rail and then storing it deep underground permanently, so it cannot enter the atmosphere.
Why is there a requirement?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Climate Change Committee (CCC) highlighted that, if we are to limit future temperature increases to 1.5°C, we must do more than just reduce emissions – we also need to deploy technologies to prevent carbon from entering the atmosphere, and to support industries that cannot readily reduce their own emissions.
CCUS is the solution, and one of the very few technologies that can significantly decarbonise hard to abate industries such as iron & steel, fertiliser, cement and chemical. It has the potential to transform the UK economy - retaining thousands of industrial jobs, while also creating new and innovative green roles. According to Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), CCUS alone could attract £100bn in international investment by 2050.
PARTERNING TO DECARBONIZE 40% OF UK CEMENT & LIME INDUSTRY
MNZ | PEAK CLUSTER PARTNERSHIP
The MNZ | Peak Cluster partnership will decarbonise 40% of the UK’s cement and lime industry and ensure that close to three million tonnes of CO₂ emissions from vital industry within Peak Cluster will be captured and permanently stored in Spirit Energy’s MNZ carbon store each year.
Peak Cluster is made up of four of the UK’s leading cement and lime producers. The project is set to generate the equivalent of £1.8bn GVA by 2050, creating and safeguarding more than 13,000 jobs across Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cumbria, and attracting a further £5bn of investment in construction and operations. It will also see a combined annual increase of £154m in skills uplift and wage increases.
In July 2025, the National Wealth Fund announced its first deal in carbon capture - a £28.6m investment to support Peak Cluster which, alongside industry financing, will support the project through to FID. By taking early development risk, the NWF said it was helping catalyse future investment into the project and across the full value CCS network.