The announcement follows last year’s decision by the UK Government to not award the Scottish Cluster Track-1 status, which would have provided it access to further funding.
It was revealed that the EETF and UK Government support will see the Scottish Government develop three carbon capture and storage (CCS) clusters ‘for the price of two’, a measure that could see the Scottish Cluster being given ‘clear and definitive’ Track-1 status.
During a meeting between Michael Matheson, Energy Secretary, Scottish Government, and Greg Hands, Minister for Energy, UK Government last Thursday, Matheson called the decision not to initially award Track-1 status a ‘serious mistake.’
He added, “Delaying or halting the deployment of the Scottish Cluster has serious consequences, including jeopardising the industrial decarbonisation of Scotland and our just transition to net zero, creating an un-level playing field across the UK, and endangering Scottish and UK-wide net zero targets.”
“That is why I am announcing today that we stand ready with up to £80m of funding to help the Scottish Cluster continue and accelerate the deployment of carbon capture technology.”
The offer of support was offered on the basis that the Scottish Cluster is given certainty of its due status within the UK sequencing process.