The UK is one of the world leading countries for carbon capture research, with a growing industry that could play a central role in the government’s Industrial Strategy.

Our report, co-authored with Clarivate, highlights where the UK already has an edge, explores the current carbon capture business and investment environment and provides a baseline for tracking the Industrial Strategy’s impact on the carbon capture landscape.

Understanding the UK’s position in a frontier industry

Carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) is one of the “frontier industries” identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. It sits at the intersection of clean energy, industrial competitiveness and regional growth. But as a young and fast-moving sector, it is often difficult to measure using traditional classifications.

The report combines real-time research data from Clarivate’s Web of Science with company-level information from Crunchbase to offer a clearer picture of how the UK compares internationally.

Key findings – strong research, early-stage industry

The UK is ranked third in the world for carbon capture publications between 2020 and 2024, and its research is both widely cited and commercially relevant. Institutions such as Cranfield and Heriot-Watt stand out for the extent to which their work is cited in patents, while universities including Cambridge, Oxford and Queen’s University Belfast appear in the global top tier across several measures.

Several sub-fields look particularly promising. UK research in catalytic hydrogenation and metal–organic frameworks performs above the global average on academic impact and patent citations — a sign of both scientific strength and commercial potential.

The industry picture reflects a sector on the rise. The UK is second only to the United States in the number of carbon capture firms headquartered domestically. Most firms are young, small and at early funding stages, consistent with a rapidly expanding global market. Although many UK companies are attracting external finance, typical fundraising levels lag behind peers in North America and parts of Europe.

What this means for policy and industry

The findings point to three areas where targeted action could make a difference:

• Supporting areas of clear research advantage, especially where commercial potential is already visible.
• Strengthening collaboration between industry and academia to help ideas move more quickly from lab to market.
• Improving the funding environment for early-stage firms, enabling more UK companies to scale and compete globally.

Read the full report, The current state of UK carbon capture research and industry, here.