Mossmorran clean-up action call after carbon capture approval – Auto Republish

Rishi Sunak announced on Monday that the Acorn project in Aberdeenshire will finally receive funding to begin construction.

Carbon capture and storage prevents harmful emissions from entering the atmosphere and injects them deep in the seabed.

Read more: Rishi Sunak: ‘Max out’ North Sea oil and gas to solve climate crisis

The project is set to be key to decarbonise large industrial sites such as Grangemouth and Mossmorran.

But concerns have been raised about the viability of carbon capture technology which has not been used at commercial scale, as well as fears over carbon leakage.

On Monday, during his visit to Scotland, the Prime Minister admitted the technology does not yet work.

He told journalists that “if we can get that technology to work…it can be hugely helpful for us to transition to net zero”.

In December last year, Greens MSP Mark Ruskell published a report on the need for a just transition for Mossmorran – outlining pathways to decarbonisation that were compliant with Scotland’s climate ambitions.

Read more: Analysis: Has something changed in the water since COP26?

Capturing the emissions from Mossmorran was identified as one option and Mr Ruskell has had discussions since then with the plant operators.

Mr Ruskell has now written to Shell and ExxonMobil, asking them to commit to a clear investment timescale and to follow a just transition process that will involve workers at the site and the surrounding community.

The Scottish Greens have softened their stance on opposing carbon capture technology, but have warned it is not a silver bullet.

Mr Ruskell said: “Following the Acorn carbon capture project announcement, Mossmorran’s operators need to be clear on the way ahead. “Both Shell and ExxonMobil have recorded astronomical profits in recent years, they must now commit to de-carbonising their Fife operations at the earliest opportunity.

Read more: Greens warn action to clean up Mossmorran ‘must be accelerated’

“Any transition must be fair and just, with workers and the local community at the forefront.

“The report we commissioned on Mossmorran in December last year shows that a greener, fairer future for Scotland’s third largest polluter is possible – but we need to get everyone around the table to make that happen.

“Now more than ever, we need to see a renewed commitment to industrial decarbonisation at the scale required to protect us from climate breakdown. We simply don’t have time to waste.”

“What the UK Government has committed to in terms of increased fossil fuel extraction is climate vandalism. We know that reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is critical to our net zero future.

“Whilst there may well be a role for carbon capture and storage in the future, particularly when it comes to decarbonising industrial sites such as Mossmorran, we cannot let it distract us from accelerating the just and fair transition to green energy that Scotland so desperately needs.

“Carbon capture should never be used as a justification for more north sea drilling, which will have a devastating impact on our environment and take us even closer to climate breakdown.”

According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Shell UK aims to invest £20 billion to £25 billion in the UK energy system over the next 10 years, with more than 75% intended for low and zero-carbon products and services.