A pioneering carbon capture and store development that would transform Peterhead Power Station into a one-of-a-kind site has taken a step forward.
The project, headed by oil giant Shell, is one of two schemes in the UK competing for a £1billion pot of government funding to process CO2 from traditional power plants.
The other project, based in Yorkshire, would capture coal emissions from the Drax power plant.
But now Shell’s scheme has been given a boost, after geological experts approved the location of where the firm hopes to pump gas from Peterhead Power Station into – the Goldeneye reservoir 62 miles offshore.
The British Geological Society’s backing comes after Aberdeenshire Council granted full planning permission for the facility at Boddam, four miles south of the town.
Local councillor Alan Gardiner hailed the prospect of the town “leading in this new technology”.
But Scottish Green member Martin Ford, branded it a “short-term” solution for the problems of climate change.
The construction of the facility would create work for about 400 people on average, rising to a peak of 600. The CCS project would also employ up to 30 new people once it gets up to full capacity.
Millions of tonnes of CO2 would be injected into depleted oil and gas wells off the coast.
Speaking at the Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen, Xavier Riera-Palou, manager of Shell’s CO2 strategy team, said the firm was “progressing” with the project in Peterhead.
“But we are going to need a hell of a lot more CCS projects by the end of the century to get net zero emissions,” he added.
“We need a lot more effort if we are going to get anywhere near that goal.”
Shell is expected to make a final investment decision later this year.