SNP SEEK ASSURANCES ON CARBON CAPTURE COMPETITION.

SNP SEEK ASSURANCES ON CARBON CAPTURE COMPETITION.


Confirmation of a new funding mechanism to support up to four carbon capture and storage demonstration projects – which could include the Firth of Forth – has been welcomed by the SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, following a Commons statement.

Mr Weir said:

“The UK demonstration competition is running way behind schedule, but this announcement is clearly better late than never.

“Scotland could already have been at the forefront of carbon capture and storage if UK Ministers had not pulled the rug from under the Peterhead project.

“Scotland has some of Europe’s largest carbon storage reserves in our North Sea oil and gas fields combined with the expertise on how to access them. It would be an absolute tragedy if a Scottish project was not included in this initial cluster.

“Building a greener future is central to our success and the promise of carbon capture and storage incentives is welcome, but enough time has already been wasted. Ed Miliband needs to tell us when the projects will be announced, and whether the government is still committed to having a full scale demonstration project up and running by 2014.

“The Scottish Government is showing that we have what it takes to become the pre-eminent location for clean energy research, development and delivery in Europe, but the UK Government needs to stop dragging its heels.”