BUSINESS leaders in the north east have joined forces to urge the UK Government to back a major carbon capture and storage project and treat it as an “immediate priority”.
They have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling on her to progress the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Aberdeenshire.
In the letter they warn that without the project “there is no route for Scottish industry to decarbonise, threatening jobs and investment”.
Signatories to the letter include the CBI, Prosper, the Institute of Directors, Scottish Financial Enterprise, Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Sir Ian Wood, chairman of ETZ Ltd.
An economic impact study estimates that accelerating Acorn will add £17.7 billion to UK GDP by 2050, create more than 10,800 jobs during construction, and sustain 4,700 long-term operational roles.
Wood said: “Acorn CCS is a crucial catalyst needed to protect skilled jobs and unlock billions of pounds in investment.
“The UK Government must act now to develop this transformational opportunity that will support industrial decarbonisation across the UK as well as much-needed economic growth.”
The letter suggests a decision to fast-track Acorn now could quickly enable SSE’s plans for carbon capture at its Peterhead site via a proposed new power station with a generating capacity of up to 900MW.
It says that “critically, getting CCS under way at Peterhead will unlock the next phase of industrial decarbonisation for Grangemouth”.
It warns that without CCS rising carbon costs will place Grangemouth at a competitive disadvantage, threatening further job losses and industrial decline.
The refinery at Grangemouth is due to transition into an import terminal in the coming months, with the loss of 400 jobs.
Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “Scotland cannot afford further delays on Acorn CCS. The Government has pledged a just transition for our workforce, but those promises must now be matched with decisive investment.
“This is a pivotal moment for Scotland’s economy, and we need clear signals that Westminster is serious about delivering a net-zero future that includes industrial communities like ours.”
The UK Government provided funding for two similar carbon capture clusters, in Merseyside and Teesside.
Commenting on the letter the UK Government said: “Acorn has already received over £40 million for development and it is our firm ambition to proceed with the projects in the Track-2 clusters.
“Scotland is at the forefront of the drive towards clean energy, with Great British Energy’s headquarters located in Aberdeen and the recent £56m award for Cromarty Firth to become the UK’s first floating offshore wind port capable of making turbines at scale.
“Our historic funding for two initial carbon capture clusters is just the first step in developing a self-sustaining market for the industry.”
With the UK spring budget on March 26, SNP economy and energy spokesperson, Dave Doogan MP, has demanded funding is finally delivered for the Scottish site. Doogan said: “Scotland has been promised carbon capture investment for two decades but, instead of delivering funding, successive Labour and Tory UK governments have snubbed Scotland and broken their promises. "By continuing to dither and delay, the Labour government is damaging Scotland's economy, blocking progress to net zero, and putting Scottish jobs and investment at risk. "The time for excuses is over. Rachel Reeves must finally deliver long-overdue funding for Scottish carbon capture at the spring budget on 26th March - or it will be yet another betrayal by the Labour Party. "The simple reality is - if you want to deliver Net Zero, grow the economy and help safeguard energy security then there is no project better placed than the Scottish Acorn project. “Business leaders are absolutely right on this and it’s high time the UK Labour Government listened to the evidence and delivered the project - the industry in dire need of certainty from a UK Labour Government which has offered nothing outside of confusion and prevarication. “If the Labour Government can’t invest in the most fundamental aspect of the Just Transition then any ambitions for net zero will remain a pipe dream. The days of warm words and rhetoric should have given way to firm financial commitment a long time ago so now it's imperative that Westminster gives the green light for Scottish Carbon Capture as quickly as possible. “It’s another chapter in the same old Westminster story where Scotland’s natural resources are treated as a cash cow and our potential is starved of proper investment - it’s high time Westminster supported Scotland’s energy future and funded the Acorn carbon capture project immediately.”
