Among the latest developments is the successful pilot completion by carbon capture firm Nuada at the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre. The company’s second pilot, dubbed Nuada Scout, captured one tonne of CO₂ per day from biomass flue gas—demonstrating stable, high-purity performance using a compact, modular system that requires 90% less energy than conventional carbon capture technologies.
The Nuada Scout project illustrates a larger movement within the industry: the transition from large, capital-heavy chemical capture infrastructure to nimble, scalable technologies that can be deployed directly at the source of emissions. These advancements come as carbon-intensive industries seek solutions that minimize operational disruption and reduce integration barriers.
Unlike solvent-based systems that rely on heat and extensive regeneration cycles, Nuada’s technology uses a metal-organic framework (MOF) to selectively adsorb CO₂ molecules. A vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) process then extracts the captured gas—requiring no large-scale thermal processes or chemicals.
Conor Hamill, co-CEO of Nuada, stated:
“This pilot is a strong signal that carbon capture is moving from concept to implementation. Our goal is to lower the cost and complexity of decarbonization for industries that have historically lacked viable solutions.”
For many industrial emitters, especially in sectors with thin margins or legacy infrastructure, the capital and energy costs of traditional carbon capture have proven to be a major hurdle. This is now changing, as modular systems allow for retrofitting without the need for new chemical plants or major facility overhauls.
The UK government is playing an active role in supporting such innovation. Nuada’s pilot was partially funded through the CCUS Innovation 2.0 program, part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. Government and investor interest in the pilot suggests momentum is building around commercial deployment of compact capture systems.
Industry experts increasingly view scalable, site-ready carbon capture as a critical lever for meeting near- and mid-term climate goals—particularly in manufacturing sectors that can’t rely solely on electrification or fuel switching. In the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 roadmap, carbon capture accounts for nearly 15% of cumulative emissions reductions needed globally by mid-century.
Yet achieving this requires not only technology that works—but technology that works at scale. Newer systems like Nuada’s MOF-VPSA platform are designed to plug into existing operations with minimal complexity, accelerating time to impact and increasing investment viability.
As the market matures, the emphasis is shifting from large, centralized CCS hubs to distributed capture solutions that can address emissions at the facility level. The Nuada Scout pilot proves that high-impact decarbonization can come in a compact form—and signals that industries long considered “too difficult to abate” may now have practical options.
With continued investment, regulatory support, and industry adoption, this new generation of carbon capture technologies could become a cornerstone of global decarbonization strategy.
