THE boss of Glasgow Airport has joined campaigners in calling for the Grangemouth oil refinery to be turned into a production hub to create sustainable aviation fuel.
AGS Airports chief executive, Andy Cliffe, has joined unions and politicians in urging the UK and Scottish governments to invest in Grangemouth.
Grangemouth is home to Scotland’s last oil refinery, which Petroineos bosses announced plans to close the site last year, in a move that could lead to the loss of more than 400 jobs.
The closure would end decades of jet fuel production made from North Sea oil to supply all of Scotland’s airports and some in the north of England.
Proposed new UK-wide rules are expected to require 10 per cent of air travel to be powered by sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
Cliffe told the Daily Record the proposition of these new rules provides Grangemouth, and St Fergus in Aberdeenshire, an opportunity to create thousands of new jobs in the industry.
He said: “Sustainable aviation fuel is a critical component of the aviation industry’s net zero carbon road map which shows that 10,000 new jobs could be created in a UK SAF industry by 2030, rising to 60,000 jobs and £10 billion of added economic value by 2050.
“We need to ensure we realise this opportunity and that Scotland benefits from these jobs.
“We have an opportunity to produce SAF at Grangemouth and at St Fergus in Aberdeenshire.”
Kenny MacAskill (below), who stood unsuccessfully for Alba in the Grangemouth and Alloa constituency, has been a vocal campaigner to keep the site operational.
Saving jobs at the oil refinery was a key point in Alba’s party manifesto as they outlined the “devastating impact on the local population, businesses and communities” closing the site would have.
MacAskill told the Daily Record he believes the site at Grangemouth is “perfect” to begin producing sustainable aviation fuel and that both Labour and the Scottish governments need to facilitate planning for the transition.
He said: “Transport’s now the UK’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and that means change in the skies, as on the roads. Sustainable aviation fuel is therefore one of the steps that must be taken.
“Scotland’s only refinery provides the aviation fuel for all our airports, as well as into the north of England. It must do so for this fuel.
“But it won’t happen without action. A Labour government must incentivise the aviation fuel market and the Scottish Government must ensure the planning takes place for it.
“Grangemouth’s location and infrastructure are therefore perfect. Retaining the skilled workforce, though, is equally essential. It’s why we need to extend, invest and transition.”
