Report tips Scotland to be hub for CO2 utilisation industry
Scotland is "uniquely advantaged" to develop a new industry using greenhouse gases to make products such as fertiliser.
Scotland is "uniquely advantaged" to develop a new industry using greenhouse gases to make products such as fertiliser.
A new report has recommended Scottish Enterprise prioritises work to speed up the development of CO2 utilisation.
A case study suggests using the 500,000 tonnes of CO2 produced by distilleries could create products worth £500 million while sustaining 600 new jobs, according to the research by academics at Sheffield University.
The report said Scotland "is uniquely advantaged for the development of a world leading CO2 utilisation sector", with an "abundance of biogenic CO2 from the food and drink sector".
It also suggested Grangemouth could be a hub for such a new industry, with 3.1 million tonnes of C02 that could be captured released within 50 miles of the town.
But the report said as demand for CO2 is "extremely limited" compared to the overall supply of emissions, CO2 utilisation "should not be considered as an alternative to carbon capture and storage when looking to mitigate CO2 emissions".
Study author Dr Grant Wilson, from the university's department of chemical and biological engineering, said: "For most countries and policy makers around the world, carbon dioxide is viewed only as a problem that needs to be controlled.
"However with the ongoing development of novel technologies and processes for the re-use of CO2, it is also starting to be viewed as a potential resource that could be exploited.
"This report identifies that Scotland has a unique combination of key advantages and a real opportunity to explore and develop its carbon dioxide resources.
"It is also important to note that it is one of the first countries in the world to even consider the creation of a roadmap for the re-use of its carbon dioxide, in essence to view CO2 as a resource.
"This provides a very powerful message in terms of Scotland's belief in considering all available options to decouple its future economic activity from emissions."