16 March 2011 | Tierney Smith
Carbon, Chemical, Europe

 

Between 15 and 100 years of Scotland’s carbon emissions could be stored in the sandstone rock beneath the Moray Firth in Northern Scotland, according to a new report. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology could potentially be worth over £10 billion a year in the UK from 2025.

The report by Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS), put together by SCCS, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh University and the British Geological Survey, and funded by the Scottish government and energy production companies says 13,000 jobs could be created in Scotland, with 14,000 more across the UK.

The rock formation known as Captain Sandstone is estimated to be able to store 360 million tonnes of CO2, under the least favourable conditions, with the potential for another 1200 million tonnes.

Professor Eric Mackay from SCCS said: “This is a landmark moment in the development of carbon capture and storage. The Captain Sandstone is just one of many rock formations filled with salt water in the central and northern North Sea.

“We have shown that this is a feasible site that could store massive amounts of CO2, helping the UK meet its targets for carbon emissions reduction. The future potential for this and other areas of the North Sea is immense.”

Long-term geological storage of CO2 could take place in depleted oil and gas field reservoirs or in similar sandstones containing salt water – saline aquifers – which offer a large capacity for long-term storage, and which are abundant in the Scottish North Sea.

The Scottish government has welcomed the report, Energy Minister Jim Mather said: “"The research is a great example of the continued commitment of government, industry and academia coming together as a partnership to deliver new insights on the potential for carbon capture and storage projects.”

However, the continuation of CCS has not been welcomed by all in Scotland. Patrick Harvie Member of Scottish Parliament for the Green Party said: “Scotland's renewable potential can meet our power needs almost six times over, and if we had a Government prepared to commit to that task, we could already be exporting the surplus to our neighbours. Large-scale carbon capture, even if it eventually works, risks becoming a poor excuse to keep dirty power plants running longer.

"By all means let's continue the research to see if some of the pollution from existing plants can be captured, but above all we must not allow the prospect of CCS be used to justify new coal power stations.”

Scottish Power, who part funded the report, has already been testing a prototype CCS facility at its Longannet power station in Fife, which has been operational since 2009 and is the first device of its kind.

Three CCS proposals from Scottish energy companies also applied for funding from the EU’s New Entrant Reserve (NER) scheme, which gives funding for CCS and innovative renewables. (LINK)

This includes a bid from Ayrshire Power for CCS technology to be installed on a new 1852Mwe to be built at Hunterston, North Ayrshire, which would eventually capture 90 per cent of the plants emissions.

 

Image: John Haslam | flickr

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