Out of fizz

Lack of CO2 puts industry on the edge

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of industrial production, but it has a wide range of uses across many industries: from cooling nuclear power plants and extending the life of packaged fruit and vegetables, to surgical procedures and the sedating of animals during slaughter. The UK is one of Europe’s largest users of CO2.

What is it used in?

CO2 is widely used across the food industry in production and packaging, but is of particular importance to the meat sector. It is essential for the humane slaughter of livestock, to stun pigs and chickens.

It is also widely used in the packaging of fresh meats, fresh produce such as salad and baked goods, where it prevents bacteria forming and extends the shelf life of the products.

CO2 is widely used in fizzy drinks and beer and is vital to cooling systems used to refrigerate products. It is also used to create dry ice, which can be used to keep food fresh for storage and transport. The food industry says that the gas can encourage the healthy growth of vegetables in greenhouses, and can be used to purify drinking water.

Surgeons use the gas to stabilise body cavities during operations, and to freeze off warts and moles.

How do you make it?

CO2 is created as a byproduct during the industrial manufacture of ammonia, alcohol and fertilisers, as well as being emitted by power plants. The UK currently emits around 350 million tonnes every year, and is preparing to take major steps to drive this figure down to net zero by 2050. To produce CO2 pure enough to be used in fizzy drinks, food packaging and abattoirs, specialist equipment is required to capture, purify and separate gases. In the UK, it is most often chemical companies that are equipped to produce food-grade CO2 rather than fossil fuel power plants.

How did we get to become so reliant on two plants?

Until recently, the food industry has been able to rely on a steady supply of CO2 from two fertiliser plants in the north of England for up to 60% of its needs. So the shock decision by the US firm CF Industries to shut the plants sparked serious concerns.

The concentration of so much CO2 production in the hands of a single owner – as part of a joint venture established in 2007 – was investigated at the time by the Competition Commission, which insisted on certain remedies to address the reduction in competition in supply of the gas.

Could we rely on imports?

Approximately 20% of the UK’s carbon dioxide is imported, mostly from plants in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. However, soaring energy prices are having an impact on European firms.

A number of sizeable EU fertiliser companies are also stopping or significantly cutting back their production, either for scheduled maintenance or as a result of rocketing costs, which will mean a considerable reduction in the amount of CO2 produced on the continent.

Can we become self-sufficient with CO2, and could new technology help with this?

Brewers had their fingers burned by the global shortage of CO2 in 2018, which occurred during a football World Cup, a key moment for sales of beer. As a result, many of the industry’s largest players have invested in new technology, which allows them to capture CO2 produced during the fermentation process, store it, and then re-use it to carbonate their beer.

More widely, there are hopes of wider adoption by industry of carbon capture and storage technology. This would involve storing CO2 captured from power plant emissions beneath the North Sea, but academics believe it could be repurposed as foodgrade CO2. Such technologies will come as cold comfort to the food industry this winter, however.