The creation of a Scottish CO2 hub can help tackle Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and provide an affordable carbon capture and storage industry in the UK.
A report by Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage (SCCS) explained the hub would serve as a collection point for CO2 emissions from Europe.
The greenhouse gases would be transported for permanent storage in rocks deep beneath the North Sea.
The project could use existing infrastructure, established shipping technologies and storage assets in the region.
Stuart Haszeldine, Professor of CCS at the University of Edinburgh and SCCS Director said: “The beauty of this proposal is its flexibility and adaptability. From a small start capturing emissions in Scotland with transport and storage based on existing assets, the system can be progressively expanded to receive CO2 from England and Europe using shipping, instead of large expensive pipes.
“By the early 2020s this can achieve a key milestone in the deployment of CCS – the establishment of commercial storage operations in the North Sea – with a whole new industry following from that.”
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd insisted the government backs CCS despite scrapping the £1 billion competition.
