Prime Minister David Cameron has said it would be a “huge mistake” to ignore the potential of a pioneering green energy technology that is due to be developed in the north-east.
The Conservative leader spoke yesterday about the key role that carbon capture and storage (CCS) could play in addressing the country’s future energy challenges.
Shell and SEE are planning to build the world’s first full-scale CCS project at a gas-fired power station in Peterhead, with the scheme poised to create almost 1,000 jobs and win hundreds of millions of pounds from a UK Government funding pot.
About 10million tonnes of harmful CO2 would be captured at the site and stored in a depleted North Sea gas field 62 miles offshore.
The coalition at Westminster has been criticised by environmental groups for failing to set a strict target for slashing carbon from the UK power sector by 2030.
But Mr Cameron revealed yesterday that the main reason it has not set a limit was because he believes CCS could significantly cut the damage caused by carbon emissions.
“My nervousness about being too frank about the future is simply down to this issue about carbon capture and storage, and the role that gas will play in the future,” he told the Commons liaison committee.
“I see some in the green movement that seem so keen to nail down a decarbonisation target, irrespective of whether carbon capture and storage works.
“I think that would be unwise, to put it mildly. We have a lot of supplies of gas. I think with shale we can see even more supplies of gas. It’s cheap, relatively clean.
“If you fixed a decarbonisation target, and say you’re going to take carbon out of electricity generation before you know whether you can get carbon capture and storage, I think you would be making a huge mistake.”
Meanwhile, MEPs at Brussels gave CCS their renewed backing yesterday.
SNP MEP Alyn Smith said: “This recommitment to CCS from the EU is hugely important for Scotland.
“With massive storage opportunities under the North Sea and much of the infrastructure already in place as well as political support and academic expertise in spades, we’re in an ideal position to both deliver and benefit from this technology.”
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