Longannet carbon capture scheme rumours described as 'deeply worrying'
ScottishPower has insisted talks with the UK Government are continuing, despite strong rumours that its flagship carbon capture and storage project is on the brink of collapse.
UK energy secretary Chris Huhne and John Campbell of ScottishPower meeting chief engineer Tony Corless at Longannet earlier this year.
- By Leeza Clark
- Published in the Courier : 07.10.11
- Published online : 07.10.11 @ 11.55am
There has been mounting speculation that ScottishPower, which leads a consortium bidding to build a £1bn prototype CCS project at Longannet Power Station in Fife, is about to withdraw from the Westminster competition.
It has been suggested talks between the department of energy and climate change and ScottishPower's parent company Iberdrola had broken down — possibly over a multi-million-pound shortfall in funding.
If true, it could have a devastating impact on the Scottish economy and jobs market and for the wider CCS sector.
A ScottishPower spokesman said: ''Negotiations with the department of energy and climate change over the next phase of the CCS demonstration competition are continuing.''
A department spokesman said: ''All we can say at the moment is that negotiations are continuing but no decisions have been made at present.''
But insiders said it could be the end of the road for the far-reaching scheme amid claims the consortium has concerns about its commercial viability without more investment.
Dunfermline and West Fife MP Thomas Docherty said he would speak to ScottishPower this week urging them and the UK Government to get back around the table.
''This doesn't help anybody, particularly the workforce,'' said Mr Docherty, who is also a member of the all-party parliamentary group on CCS. ''I'll be speaking to ScottishPower and ministers in the coming days — let's see where we get to then.''
WWF Scotland director Dr Richard Dixon, said the rumours were ''deeply worrying''.
The group found Longannet to be the best option for CCS trials, arguing that other sites would result in vastly higher carbon emissions.
Dr Dixon said: ''If the UK truly wants to lead the development of this technology, as many politicians have said, then we do hope that all those involved can find a way to make this project happen.
''It would be a major blow to international efforts to develop carbon capture and storage if this scheme were not to happen at Longannet.
''Longannet is the right sort of power station in the right place to do this kind of large-scale trial, potentially learning lessons which could help reduce emissions at thousands of coal power stations around the world."
Continued...
03.22pm - 07.10.2011 Kev - Dundee, UK Report This
The Courier should beware, lest it is accused of being negative and, by association, labelling Scotland as too wee, too poor and too stupid.
04.44pm - 08.10.2011 george - dundee, scotland Report This
That's a billion pounds that won't be wasted on the global warming scam. Probably be spent on useless windmills instead. Windmills that will sit idle for months while we all freeze to death.
10.43am - 10.10.2011 Charlie - Dundee, Scotland UK Report This
@ george Completely agree. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Mr Salmond promised everything would be hunky dory by 2020. Don't believe a word of it. The landscape WILL be covered with windmills, but the lights will be out. Thanks SNP.
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