“Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage is a technology that is essential in delivering Scotland’s Net Zero emissions by 2045. CCUS is also supported by the analytical work of our statutory advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, in its advice to the Scottish and UK Governments. Only by working together can we not only enable the technology to capture emissions and meet our own Net Zero target as part of that international effort, but also capture the economic opportunities presented, where new jobs are created, and existing energy supply chain jobs are safeguarded. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring these two vital objectives go hand in hand in helping to deliver a swift and just transition to a decarbonised economy.
The Acorn Project at St Fergus in Aberdeenshire is central to this essential transition and meeting Scotland’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions targets; it is a world-class carbon capture and storage project with access to vast areas of storage that will not only enable the decarbonisation of Scottish industry, but also offers opportunities to support decarbonisation in Europe and the rest of the UK, with associated economic, environmental and social benefits. The Acorn Project can be a cornerstone of our route to Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, and this is why the Scottish Government strongly supports the continued development of this key project towards commercialisation.”