MSP Backs Scottish Government CCS Investment for North-East

Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed the Scottish Government’s investment in a North East CCS (Carbon Capture Storage) project.

Photo: Pale Blue Dot Energy

First Minister Nicole Sturgeon announced the newly proposed Acorn Project has received funding to take forward the feasibility phase of a CCS demonstrator project at St Fergus.

It was revealed as the Programme for Government was announced at the Scottish Parliament.

In 2015, the UK Government pulled more than £1billion of funding for a CCS project at Peterhead Power Station which would have created hundreds of jobs and investment across the region.

The Scottish Government’s Energy Minister said it remained “extremely disappointed” by the UK Government’s withdrawal of the funding in the CCS Commercialisation Programme in which the Peterhead CCS project was the front runner.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“The decision by the UK Government in 2015 to remove funding for CCS was a huge loss to the North-East.

“Scotland has the opportunity to be a world leader in this sector and the investment would have increased the lifespan of Peterhead Power Station and created jobs and investment in the local economy.

“While the new framework for policy on CCS by the UK Government remains unclear, I am delighted that the Scottish Government has pledges this funding which will help to renew investment in this technology.

“Scotland is working towards a low carbon economy and we must support all efforts to ensure we do so.”