Green industrial strategy puts CCS in top 5 actions

The green industrial strategy for Scotland https://www.gov.scot/publications/green-industrial-strategy/ ?is a very welcome vision to adapt skilled workers, and create wealth into the future. Part of this are the immense opportunities for Scotland to grow from being a fossil fuel economy, into a clean and green energy provider of wind power electricity, hydrogen produced by low carbon methods. And Scotland can offer huge quantities of exceptionally secure long duration storage of carbon for UK and European neighbours in their international fight against climate emergency.

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Because of European mandates, the demand for commercial CO2 storage is growing faster every year. This is an opportunity for Scotland to step up and replace the established offshore oil industry.? With careful and rapid government support through licensing and regulation, Scotland can adapt existing skills and innovation to become a centre supporting a broader green service and maintenance economy. The future is not waiting, these projects are being built now across Europe creating a pipeline to attract construction and service companies. CO2 storage is available now beneath the seas, around Scotland. And CCS is being applied in Scotland – on agriculture and distilling, on established industries and on creation of low carbon hydrogen and electricity to infill variable wind power. Carbon management has arrived, and Scotland needs to grasp the prize. This needs more and faster support form UK goverment – who hold the funding and the keys to regulation and planning speed. If Denmark can go from nominating a CO2 storage site to test injection in 18 months, and north Italy does the same in just 12 months, then the UK heading for a 9 years consenting process is waaaay too slow.

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Activities around Europe are now scaling-up. These represent both opportunities in green business (perhaps selling Scottish hydrogen to Germany), but also represent threats if Scotland is not quite ready to grasp opportunities in the Transition from fossil fuels (Grangemouth refinery, and looking ahead, Mossmorran). A green industrial strategy is welcome to provide a framework for planning , preparation, and faster action