North East Green Freeport could deliver sustainable aviation fuel
It would create up to 920 jobs and £133m in GVA per annum
Up to 920 jobs in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could be created in the North East should the region be successful with its bid for a green freeport.
It could deliver the countries first (SAF) facility, boosting GVA by £133m each year.
Jon Matthews, Group Head of Capital and Planning at Aberdeen International Airport, said: “The SAF production facility at St Fergus is a key part of the region’s bid for green freeport status. It was identified based on the availability of feedstock required to produce SAF and the enabling carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) infrastructure".
It's another boost for the areas bid to host one of two green freeports in the country after more than 100 business leaders and cross-party politicians pledged their support.
In total, a successful bid would create 32,000 high-quality jobs and boost GVA by £8.5 billion over the next decade.
“Securing green freeport status would not only unlock the potential of this SAF plant it would help retain and create jobs at St Fergus which is actively seeking a just transition of workers to clean growth jobs", added Mr Matthews.
Steve Murphy, Chief Commercial Officer at Storegga, the lead developer for the Acorn carbon capture and storage and hydrogen infrastructure projects proposed for St Fergus, said: “Becoming a Green Freeport is an important element of the collective Scottish and UK effort to reach net zero.
"As each day passes, the climate crisis worsens. It is vital we push hard to get important carbon reduction developments like Acorn online as swiftly as possible.
“The North East Scotland Green Freeport will accelerate and amplify the Scottish Cluster, including CO2 import facilities at Peterhead Port and Europe’s first at-scale direct air capture plant which can support a new sustainable aviation fuel sector and help abate CO2 emissions from the transport sector.”