COP26 Commitments:
Carbon Capture and Sequestration
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP): What assessment he has made of the potential role of
carbon capture and sequestration in delivering the UK’s COP26
commitments to reduce emissions.
The Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change ()
The UK can become a world leader in technology to capture and
store harmful emissions away from the atmosphere. In the net zero
strategy, the UK Government announced their ambition to capture
and store 20 to 30 megatonnes of CO2 per annum by 2030, with 10
megatonnes to be delivered by track-2 clusters.
The Scottish carbon cluster site would address Scotland’s two
biggest greenhouse gas emitters. It would unlock 30% of the UK’s
carbon dioxide storage capability and combine hydrogen
production, direct air capture and a shipping terminal to serve
the rest of the UK in terms of carbon dioxide storage. Why then
was the Scottish cluster relegated to reserve status and what
representation has the right hon. Gentleman had from the
“lightweight” Scottish Tory leader about this disgraceful
decision?
As ever, I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. As he
knows, Acorn is the first reserve, which means that it met the
eligibility criteria and performed well in the evaluation
criteria. As for the Scottish Conservatives, I speak to my hon.
Friend the Member for Moray (), the leader of the Scottish
Conservatives, frequently. I also speak to the local MP, my hon.
Friend the Member for Banff and Buchan (), and others. The Scottish
cluster, Acorn, has a good future. I have also recently met with
Storegga, INEOS and Shell to discuss specific
aspects in relation to the cluster, which moves ahead.
Topical
Questions
(Leeds East)
(Lab): Just days after the Glasgow COP ended, Tory Ministers
were wining and dining with senior fossil fuel executives,
including from Shell and BP, apparently to urge
them to keep on drilling for oil and gas in the North sea. As COP
President, does he not agree that, instead of being in the
pockets of fossil fuel giants, Ministers should be following the
United Nations’ call for an end to all new fossil fuel
projects—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. Topicals are meant to be short and quick. You cannot have
a full statement—other people have got to get in.
The hon. Gentleman is definitely making my job harder by the
amount of hot air he is emitting—I wonder whether he will offset
those emissions. Let me be clear that we have a commitment to
have a managed transition in our energy mix, and that is what we
are doing.
