AN SNP MSP has welcomed a move by Scottish ministers to offer up to £80 million in funding for the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project known as the Scottish Cluster.
Karen Adam, who represents Banffshire and Buchan coast, responded after energy secretary Michael Matheson said he "stood ready" with the funding, but said could not "go it alone" with the project as he called for more clarity from the UK Government to the scheme.
"I welcome the significant funding commitment from the SNP Scottish Government. The Westminster Tories betrayed the North East when they snubbed the Acorn Project here in Banffshire and Buchan Coast.
“Although this matter is largely reserved to the UK government, the Scottish Government are once again having to go above and beyond to make up for the deficit caused by the Conservatives abandoning the North East," she said.
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“The amount of money the North East has poured into the coffers of the UK treasury over the past few decades has been astronomical. The UK government are always happy to take our tax revenues but never willing to invest here.
"The UK Tory government’s rhetoric about “standing up for the North East” has been found to be just that, rhetoric. Words and not actions. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government have taken action and put up significant funding to ensure the Scottish cluster remains formidable.”
Under the scheme, emissions would be drawn from the North Sea and the refinery in Grangemouth via pipelines and stored at a facility in Aberdeenshire.
In October, it was announced the Scottish Cluster would likely come in the second phase of the UK’s CCS sequencing process, after it was decided that the first facilities would be built on the Humber and around Liverpool.
Matheson met virtually with the UK Government’s Energy Minister, Greg Hands, on Thursday, setting out the funding offer.
Matheson said: “The UK Government’s decision not to award the Scottish Cluster clear and definitive Track-1 status is a serious mistake which shows a lack of ambition and leadership on climate change.
“Delaying or halting the deployment of the Scottish Cluster has serious consequences, including jeopardising the industrial decarbonisation of Scotland and our just transition to net zero, creating an un-level playing field across the UK, and endangering Scottish and UK-wide net-zero targets.
“That is why I am announcing today that we stand ready with up to £80 million of funding to help the Scottish Cluster continue and accelerate the deployment of carbon capture technology.”
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Matheson said the Scottish Government did not have the necessary powers to “go it alone” on funding.
He continued: “Unfortunately we do not hold all the necessary legislative and regulatory levers needed to support the Scottish Cluster, as they are not devolved. We cannot simply go it alone with our funding.
"Our offer of support is therefore made on the basis that the Scottish Cluster is given certainty of its due status within the UK sequencing process, and I once again urge the UK Government to provide this certainty for the benefit of our energy sector and for our ability to deliver a just transition to net zero.”
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