<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-06-03T15:52:43Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/795AC99C-0C1E-4EB1-8D02-FBA3B1D9FB14" ns1:id="795AC99C-0C1E-4EB1-8D02-FBA3B1D9FB14"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/D3BBDC26-E4D9-4FAE-8FDC-79266760E33F" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/D799591D-F659-4809-8B4A-9AB7960AEAE5" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/38CF3AB0-B06C-4A19-ACD0-386A7C74160F" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/D799591D-F659-4809-8B4A-9AB7960AEAE5" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/8AA6A12F-4CC4-4F35-AC9A-D5E4ED8A6AFE" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2025-09-29T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/F1E7FE94-3B67-479F-BEF1-0AAEA90835E0" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2024-03-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10091105</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>CCSCOC - novel energy-efficient carbon capture technology for mineralising carbon in molten waste to support heavy industry to reach net-zero</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>**Need**

CO2-emissions from steel and cement account for 15% of global emissions. A portfolio of solutions, including carbon capture, is needed to decarbonise these hard-to-abate sectors and transition to net-zero. UKGOV has introduced policies to support the decarbonisation of steel-making , including the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and the Carbon Capture and Storage Infrastructure Fund.

The steel industry's decarbonisation efforts are shifting from traditional production techniques (BF-BOF) to alternatives (DRI-EAF). This has has two adverse effects on cement and steel industries:

1. Reduced availability of ground-granulated blast furnace slag(GGBFS), which the low-carbon cement industry relies on as a supplementary cementitious material(SCM) and appreciable source of revenue for steel producers.
2. Increased production of Electric Arc Furnace(EAF) and Stainless Steel(SS) slags, which are typically landfilled, at a cost-to-the-manufacturer.

**Opportunity**

Both EAF/SS slags are effective feedstocks for metal-carbonation reactions that sequester CO2, and in some instances can be valorised and serve as effective SCMs.

However, scaling carbon capture and SCM production with these materials have been held back by high-energy costs of comminution, and varied mineralogy of EAF and SS slags. Both hampering the deployment of this gigatonne-scale synergistic approach to decarbonising two globally important industries.

**Solution**

Cocoon has developed a unique, patent-pending process that captures CO2-emissions made during steel production, and mineralises them within the molten waste from the same production process. The concept has been proven (TRL3).

Now, working with with Leeds University's School of Civil Engineering and the Materials Processing Institute, we intend to refine and scale-up the process to industrial levels - demonstrating its effectiveness against slag from next-generation steel production (e.g. EAF and SS slags), enabling rapid commercialisation post-project.

This provides profitable routes for deep-decarbonisation and the technology has the potential for gigatonne-scale CO2 removal - unlocking a &amp;pound;274m/annum revenue opportunity for Cocoon by 2031 with ~50% exports.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>