What is Carbon Explorer?
Carbon Explorer is a web-based geospatial planning tool that connects industrial CO₂ emitters with local businesses that can use or store that CO₂. It maps supply and demand sites on an interactive map, models road transport routes and costs, calculates ROI for SMEs, and generates investor-grade evidence packs for local authorities and infrastructure planners.
Created by Maddie Kortenaar as part of the Net Zero Industry Launchpad initiative. Data is based on the NAEI 2022 National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and ONS BRES sector benchmarks. All figures are indicative and intended for planning purposes only.
Geographic Coverage
Wales — 30 sites
12 supply · 18 demand
Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Cardiff, Pembrokeshire, Vale of Glamorgan, Carmarthenshire, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Scotland — 24 sites
10 supply · 14 demand
Falkirk/Grangemouth, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Angus, Highland, Clackmannanshire
England — 34 sites
14 supply · 20 demand
North Yorkshire (Drax), Teesside, Humber, NW England (Stanlow), West Midlands, South Yorkshire
Top 5 GB Deployment Sites (March 2026)
| Rank | Site | Region | Sector | CO₂/yr | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Drax Power Station (BECCS) | North Yorkshire | Energy & Power | 9,800 t | 96 |
| #2 | CF Industries Billingham | Stockton-on-Tees | Chemicals & Fertilisers | 3,800 t | 92 |
| #3 | Tata Steel Port Talbot | Neath Port Talbot | Steel & Metals | 6,500 t | 91 |
| #4 | Margam Cement Works | Neath Port Talbot | Cement & Lime | 1,800 t | 83 |
| #5 | Valero Pembroke Refinery | Pembrokeshire | Petrochemicals | 2,800 t | 74 |
Ranked by composite capture deployment score: CO₂ capacity, stream purity, capture readiness and nearby demand concentration within 50 km.
Industrial Sectors
Tools & Features
Interactive GIS Map
Road-routing map across all 88 sites with supply/demand overlays, route lines, distance and transport cost calculations.
Open map →Site Explorer
Search, filter and export sites by region, sector, type or deployment readiness tier. Upload custom CSV datasets.
Explore sites →Route Optimiser
Constraint-based transport network optimisation. Run scenarios, compare routes and export results.
Optimise routes →Investor Evidence Pack
Regional analytics, sector charts, Top 5 rankings, capex estimates, payback periods and jobs created. PDF export included.
View evidence pack →SME ROI Calculator
Enter your postcode and annual CO₂ usage to get a personalised estimate of annual savings, payback period and carbon credit value.
Calculate ROI →Methodology & Data
Full data sources, sector benchmarks, routing methodology and dataset changelog. NAEI 2022 base year.
Read more →Data Sources
- Supply sites: NAEI 2022 — National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (UK government)
- Demand volumes: ONS BRES employment sector benchmarks + CO₂ intensity factors
- Scottish sites: SEPA permit register (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)
- English sites: Environment Agency IED (Industrial Emissions Directive) permit register
- Transport costs: Logistics UK road transport benchmarks 2023–24
- Carbon credits: UK ETS permit price data