Acorn project at St Fergus in a 'good place' for Track 2 funding
It missed out in the Track 1 bidding process, despite being the only Scottish project
The Acorn Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) and Hydrogen project at St Fergus is in a "good place" to receive Track 2 status, according to a local MP.
The Scottish Cluster was only given 'reserve status' during the Track 1 funding process in October 2021.
It had been hoped that more than 20,000 jobs would be created should the funding have been received.
Speaking at DeCarbScotland, Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said: “The Scottish Cluster, at the time of the Track 1 bidding process, was generally regarded as the most advanced cluster, but lost out to full Track 1 status on other criteria.
“However, it still remains the reserve cluster for Track 1 and a place at the table in determining, for example, business model design for CO2 emitters.
“The Acorn CCS and Hydrogen Project, at St Fergus in my constituency, is therefore in a good place for being awarded Track 2 status when that sequencing round is announced.”
The project, backed by Shell, Storegga and Harbour Energy, would offer the chance for oil and gas employees to transfer into the renewables sector.
It's also the only project of its kind in Scotland.
Mr Duguid added: “Currently, Peterhead is the only despatching thermal power station north of Leeds and is a key source of base load provision for when the wind’s not blowing and the sun’s not shining.
“Another key selling point for Acorn, a point which unfortunately was not considered in the Track 1 selection criteria, is the ability to import, by ship, emissions from around the UK and perhaps further afield.
“This is also critical for other industrial carbon capture clusters in places like south Wales and the south coast of England, who propose projects that can remove CO2 from emissions, but have nowhere to store it.”