Quorn®

Assessing the feasibility of implementing CO2 capture and utilisation in Quorn® mycoprotein process

Quorn® is the leading global manufacturer of meat-free products, built around its unique ingredient, Quorn® mycoprotein. The company has set an ambitious goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2030.

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Challenge

As part of this commitment, Quorn® identified the removal of CO2 from its bioreactors as both a challenge and an opportunity to support the net zero ambitions of the Teesside Industrial Cluster. The organisation sought to understand the cost of integrating CO2 capture into its existing operations, explore opportunities for converting CO2 into valuable products, and assess the socio-economic implications at both organisational and cluster levels.

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Solution

Quorn® partnered with the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC) and Teesside University International Business School (TUIBS) on a research project funded by the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre. The project delivered a comprehensive feasibility assessment of retrofitting a CO2 capture process into existing bioreactors.

This included detailed chemical process modelling, alongside techno-economic, socio-economic and carbon footprint assessments. NZIIC proposed evaluating both established technologies, such as amine scrubbing, and emerging solutions, including carbonate looping for CO2 capture and methanation for CO2 conversion.

TUIBS also facilitated workshops to assess technology readiness and explore the social factors influencing adoption.

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Impact

The project has already begun to generate significant positive outcomes across both industry and academia. One of the most notable successes to date has been the strong engagement from Quorn®, which is now exploring ways to implement the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) retrofit options identified. The company is considering piloting the most promising solution at its Billingham facility.

In addition, other industrial stakeholders have shown strong interest. Representatives from organisations across the Teesside Industrial Cluster attended project workshops and expressed clear intentions to explore CCUS adoption, informed by the techno-economic findings presented.