Banff and Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford has welcomed confirmation from the Crown Estate today (Wednesday) that the UK's first agreement for lease (AfL) for the permanent geological storage of carbon dioxide has been signed with the Peterhead CCS Project at the offshore depleted Goldeneye gas field.
The decision paves the way for plans to capture carbon dioxide from the Peterhead power plant in Dr Whiteford’s constituency. The SNP MP is now urging the UK Government to press on and make an early funding decision on the Peterhead project which has faced uncertainty as a result of Treasury delays in two previous CCS competitions.
Dr Whiteford said:
“This is good news from the Crown Estate which again puts the Peterhead project out in front – we now need the UK Government to put its money where its mouth is and deliver the funding to make this happen.
“After two previous competitions which came to nothing and Treasury confusion on the availability of the fund it essential that the UK Government seize the moment. We need a clear guarantee and timetable from the UK Ministers.
“Previous delays mean that other countries are powering ahead with their projects, leaving us in their wake rather than leading the race.
“The UK Government must now recognise the very strong case which exists for the Peterhead Project going ahead.
“Scotland has some of Europe’s largest carbon storage reserves in our North Sea oil and gas fields combined with the expertise on how to access them. And carbon capture investment can also be a key driver of economic recovery in Scotland. For the sake of both the environment and the economy, we need progress now.”