David Cameron’s claim carbon capture and storage technology “isn’t working” has been branded “plain wrong”.
Experts yesterday questioned the advice the prime minister is receiving.
At a Commons energy and climate change committee meeting, Labour MP Matthew Pennycook asked about the technology’s effectiveness.
Luke Warren, chief executive at CCS Association, pointed to a project in Norway which is entering its 20th year.
Richard Simon-Lewis, financing director at developer Capture Power, added: “That element of the briefing from Mr Cameron was plain wrong. The technology works.”
Chris Littlecott, who leads climate diplomacy and energy policy expert E3G’s work on CCS, said Mr Cameron had said “some rather strange things”.
He added: “I do wonder about the kind of advice going in at senior levels of government.
“This appears to have come from the Treasury. The prime minister’s position has changed within the course of the year… He seems to be getting some rather different advice.”
At Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) questions earlier this month, Aberdeen South MP Callum McCaig asked for clarification over Mr Cameron’s claim at a previous PMQs.
He suggested the prime minister and his energy secretary Amber Rudd – who has repeatedly insisted the technology has not been ruled out – were contradicting each other on the subject.
Appearing before the Commons liaison committee last week, the Tory leader said he “completely” believes in the idea.
But he added: “It seemed to me that the economics of carbon capture and storage really aren’t working at the moment.
“Carbon capture and storage is £1billion of capital expenditure – £1billion that we could spend on flood defences, schools or the health service.
“But even after you’ve spent that £1billion, that doesn’t give you carbon capture and storage that is competitive in the market.”