Power cuts hit CO2 factory as gas shortage continues

The CO2 shortage worsened considerably this week according to one of the main distributors of the gas.

Distributor Air Liquide revealed that a sudden and unexpected loss of power affected it plant in Ince in Chester this week.

The food and drinks industry has been struggling to cope with a shortage of the gas which is used to put the fizz in drinks and extend the life of food.

Several producers of carbon dioxide – a by-product from ammonia production that is used in the fertiliser industry – closed for maintenance or scaled down operations.

In the UK jus two of five plants that supply CO2 are operating at the moment.

The shortage has affected the pub trade and Bolton based bakers Warburtons was forced to close down a plant in Burnley which makes crumpets.

Some supermarket chains have limited the number of fizzy drinks people can buy online.

Air Liquide is one of the biggest producers of the gas that is generated by ammonia production used in the fertiliser industry.

According to The Grocer magazine, Air Liquide said in a letter to its customers power cuts affecting large parts of Chester had affected its factory.

As a result it was “unable to produce liquid CO2 at this facility”.

The firm said that because of the shortage of CO2 its reserves had been “severely depleted” and it has called a “force majeure” which means it can ignore existing supply arrangements.

A spokeswoman said: “Air Liquide’s recent letter to its clients was to inform about a precise situation: the global power disruption in the Cheshire region impacted the raw CO2 supply to Air Liquide purification facility.

“This is temporarily affecting Air Liquide situation, which has worsened, but does not reflect the overall UK CO2 market situation.”

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