Ambitious plans to build a £1billion carbon capture company in the South of Scotland have been turbocharged by a near-£1million investment from South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE).
The backing for pioneering firm The Carbon Removers will kickstart a major fundraising drive, accelerating the company’s expansion across the UK and Europe and laying the foundations for £1billion-a-year revenues by 2034/35.
Headquartered near Dumfries, The Carbon Removers capture carbon dioxide from biogas and the whisky industry and are scaling up fast. The business aims to remove one million tonnes of carbon every year by 2030 through an expanded portfolio of carbon sequestration projects.
Founded by brothers Ed and Richard Nimmons, the company already holds a unique position in the market. It is the only UK firm granted a licence to permanently store carbon in Denmark and is operating the EU’s first CO₂ storage facility.
SOSE’s investment, which is expected to convert from a loan into an equity stake, is designed to unlock wider private investment while supporting the South of Scotland’s transition to Net Zero — particularly across agriculture, whisky and bioenergy, sectors central to the regional economy.
The deal also strengthens the region’s reputation as a hub for innovation and sustainable growth, showing that world-leading technology can be built and scaled from rural Scotland.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is of the utmost importance to Scotland’s climate and economic transition to net zero – without it we couldn’t reduce emissions from the hardest to abate sectors including chemicals, cement and certain aspects of power generation.
“CCS uses many of the same skills as the oil and gas industry and will continue skilled employment across the supply chain. It’s great to see SOSE supporting a home-grown company leading the charge both here and in Europe. This will create further jobs and boost the economy both for the region and across Scotland.”
Richard Nimmons, Co-Founder of The Carbon Removers, said: "The Carbon Removers is delighted to expand our close working relationship with SOSE and the region. We are proud to be based in the South of Scotland and are excited to grow our carbon capture skills internationally.”
SOSE Chair Russel Griggs highlighted the company’s journey from small beginnings to international impact. "We have worked closely with The Carbon Removers from the beginning of their journey, which included playing a vital role in the roll-out of the COVID Pfizer vaccine.
“They have now grown and diversified into carbon removal and storage internationally – all from their original site in the tiny village of Crocketford, where they continue to be based. They have demonstrated that a rural location should be no barrier to innovation, and we look forward to seeing The Carbon Removers continue to grow and prosper.”
Martin Valenti, SOSE’s Director of Investment and Sustainable Enterprise, added: "We want to unlock ambition at every level – which is why we are backing The Carbon Removers team and their aim to generate £1bn per year.
“With the South of Scotland being the nation’s Natural Capital Innovation Zone, we see companies such as The Carbon Removers as vital to helping drive forward innovation and also helping attract responsible investment to benefit our region, and the rest of Scotland.”
