Sir Ian urges PM to ‘think again’ on CO2 storage snub
AN oil tycoon has urged Boris Johnson to ‘rethink’ the decision not to back a massive carbon capture facility in Scotland.
The Acorn project at the St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire missed out on becoming the UK’s first carbon capture project, with the Government instead backing schemes on the Humber and in liverpool.
Sir ian Wood, the former chief executive and chairman of the Wood Group, who is in charge of the North-East private sector bid for funding, condemned the decision and called for a U-turn.
He described the decision as ‘disapUK
‘Huge amount of knowledge’
pointing and also very hard to understand’. He said: ‘The whole question of carbon capture and storage is very closely related to oil and gas, of the renewables it is by far the one most related.
‘We are the centre of the oil and gas industry, so there is a huge amount of knowledge and know-how there.’
Sir ian also pointed out oil and gas infrastructure around St Fergus could be used, as well as offshore underwater storage off the North-East which can store huge amounts of Co2.
He said: ‘i understand the Humber, i don’t understand why the North-West of England. Scotland has got a significant number of jobs issues with oil and gas winding down.
‘it would be a perfect fit as oil and gas winds down to build up more on carbon capture and storage.
‘We will be talking to (Energy Minister) Greg Hands and (Business Secretary) Kwasi Kwarteng really quite strongly.’
At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Boris Johnson acknowledged the ‘disappointment’ about the decision.
ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, criticised the UK Government for holding back carbon capture and storage in Scotland and claimed it was an ‘active barrier’ to renewable energy opportunities.
He said: ‘it’s bad enough this Government is holding back carbon capture in Scotland, but, across the board, they are proving an active barrier to renewable energy opportunities.
‘Tidal stream energy has the potential to generate 20 per cent of UK generation capacity, exactly the same as nuclear.
‘All this industry needs is a ring-fenced budget of £71million, a drop in the ocean compared to the £23billion this Government is throwing at the nuclear plants.’
Mr Johnson insisted he is putting huge amounts of money into green energy, adding: ‘i congratulate him on raising tidal, i’ve seen the amazing projects that are under way and we are certainly looking at it.’
Backlash as £500m lost over carbon capture snub