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Acorn Project carbon capture funding to be announced in spending review | Acorn Project carbon capture funding to be announced in spending review |
(33 minutes later) | |
The St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire | The St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire |
Funding for a carbon capture project in Aberdeenshire is expected to be announced in the UK government's spending review, BBC Scotland News understands. | Funding for a carbon capture project in Aberdeenshire is expected to be announced in the UK government's spending review, BBC Scotland News understands. |
The Acorn Project based in St Fergus would take greenhouse gas emissions and store them under the North Sea, in a process known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). | |
There have been growing calls from business leaders for investment in the project which has been on a reserve list for funding. | There have been growing calls from business leaders for investment in the project which has been on a reserve list for funding. |
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce the budgets for all government departments over the next few years on Wednesday, which will include information on what new projects will receive investment. | Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce the budgets for all government departments over the next few years on Wednesday, which will include information on what new projects will receive investment. |
In the House of Commons on Tuesday, ministers were asked a number of times about funding for the project. | In the House of Commons on Tuesday, ministers were asked a number of times about funding for the project. |
Energy Minister Sarah Jones told MPs they didn't have long to wait to see what the spending review had to say about the project. | Energy Minister Sarah Jones told MPs they didn't have long to wait to see what the spending review had to say about the project. |
She said: "We have always been clear that we support the Acorn Project" adding "we know what an important proposal it is. | She said: "We have always been clear that we support the Acorn Project" adding "we know what an important proposal it is. |
"The decision is a matter for a spending review but we are very close to having those decisions". | "The decision is a matter for a spending review but we are very close to having those decisions". |
How will Acorn affect climate change targets? | How will Acorn affect climate change targets? |
In March, business leaders including oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood and organisations such as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce signed a letter urging the chancellor to back the project. | In March, business leaders including oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood and organisations such as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce signed a letter urging the chancellor to back the project. |
The letter argued that the project had faced two decades of setbacks, and that it is needed to help Scottish industry decarbonise. | The letter argued that the project had faced two decades of setbacks, and that it is needed to help Scottish industry decarbonise. |
The project missed out on support in 2021, when funding instead went to two areas in the north of England, and Acorn was placed on a reserve list for future backing. | The project missed out on support in 2021, when funding instead went to two areas in the north of England, and Acorn was placed on a reserve list for future backing. |
The UK government said Acorn had already received more than £40m for its development. | The UK government said Acorn had already received more than £40m for its development. |
If it is given the go-ahead, waste CO2 will be piped from central Scotland to St Fergus using redundant pipelines which previously carried natural gas south. | If it is given the go-ahead, waste CO2 will be piped from central Scotland to St Fergus using redundant pipelines which previously carried natural gas south. |
Experts say the technology is vital for Scotland to meet its climate targets. | Experts say the technology is vital for Scotland to meet its climate targets. |
Sites which are signed up include the refineries at Mossmoran and Grangemouth as well as a new power station at Peterhead. | Sites which are signed up include the refineries at Mossmoran and Grangemouth as well as a new power station at Peterhead. |
Climate campaigners, Friends of the Earth Scotland, have previously criticised "public subsidies" for CCS projects. | |
The group's head of campaigns, Mary Church, said: "These projects risk yet more missed climate targets and turning the seas off Scotland into Europe's carbon dumping ground." |