Douglas Lumsden has argued the Scottish government has “run out of excuses” for not delivering its promised £80 million to the Acorn carbon capture and storage (CCS) site.
North-east Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden described the two-year delay to the project being awarded government cash as more “broken promises” from the SNP.
Late last year the Holyrood government announced that it had dedicated no funds to CCS, blaming ongoing questions over the timing of Westminster support.
The Scottish Government has argued greater clarity on business models, something that falls under the UK Government’s remit, is needed to deliver the support, but opponents say Holyrood is “kicking the can down the road”.
© DCTMr Lumsden questioned the continued stalling of Acorn support in Holyrood yesterday. He said: “CCUS has been mentioned and the devolved SNP government announced 80 million in their budget over two years ago for CCUS, but not a single penny has been spent.
“So, would the cabinet secretary not agree that the money that was pledged could be getting spent now to allow business to get ready to decarbonise? Or was this announcement of money another broken promise to the north-east of Scotland by the SNP?”
The Scottish government’s net zero secretary, Mairi McAllan, argued that Mr Lumsden’s question was “another example of the brass neck of the conservatives” as she answered the regional MSP’s pointed question.
She argued that it is the conservative party, which forms the UK government at the time of writing, that has the “powers to deploy” carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS).
Acorn pipped to the post in Track 1 funding
This is not the first time the Acorn project has been delayed due to government decisions. The Peterhead-based carbon capture site was snubbed of the Conservative UK government’s Track 1 funding round in 2021.
Then energy minister Greg Hands opted to back the East Coast and Hynet Clusters, prompting backlash from energy industry leaders such as Sir Ian Wood.
Eventually, Acorn was granted funding in the follow-up Track 2 process which unveiled its winners last year.
© Supplied by StoreggaThis is something the Scottish net zero secretary highlighted to Mr Lumsden. She described the Torys “dragging their feet on Track 2” and not backing the project in Tack 1 as “utterly inexplicable.”
Ms McAllan vowed to support the north-east CCS project “including financially” once Track status is confirmed.
As the UK looks to a general election on 4 July, the secretary jabbed: “I’ll be waiting, probably for a new government, to take that forward.”
The Acorn project partners were asked for comment on the situation.
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