13 May 2021
The Acorn Project partners (PBD, Shell and Harbour), are pleased to announce an alliance with the new low-carbon power station being planned by SSE Thermal and Equinor in Peterhead, North East Scotland.
The alliance will see the power station’s captured emissions piped into Acorn’s CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure, making the newly announced Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station a key early customer for the Acorn Project.
The Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station is planned to be a new 900MW gas-fired power station fitted with carbon capture technology to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from its emissions. As Scotland’s only major thermal power station, SSE Thermal’s existing Peterhead Power Station provides critical flexibility to the electricity system, supporting increased penetration from renewable generation while maintaining security of supply. The new decarbonised power station at the site would continue to provide this essential flexible and efficient power in a net zero world.
The Acorn CO₂ Storage Site, where the Acorn Project intends to start safely storing CO₂ from the mid-2020s, is located about 100km offshore in rock formations deep below the North Sea. This site alone offers around 150 million tonnes of CO₂ storage and has ready-made access from repurposed gas pipelines that come onshore at the St Fergus gas terminal, just along the coast from Peterhead.
Acorn is expected to be storing between 5-10Mt/yr of CO₂ by 2030 from a variety of industrial sources. If this potential is realised, that would be at least half the CO₂ emissions set out in the UK Government’s Ten Point Plan for a green Industrial Revolution by 2030.
This critical infrastructure will support and accelerate Scotland’s transition to a net zero economy, while safeguarding vital Scottish industries and contributing to a just transition for workers and communities.
UK Government Minister for Scotland David Duguid said:
“Thanks to the UK Government’s £31m investment into Scotland through the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund, we’re enabling crucial projects like this one at Peterhead to play a huge part in our path to net zero. We are delighted to see this project move forward along with the Acorn CCS Project at St Fergus, which will connect industrial sites across East Scotland with access to world-class, safe carbon storage resources in rock deep below the North Sea."
John Johnson, Director of Development, SSE Thermal, said:
“We’re delighted to form this alliance with the Acorn CCS Project, an important step in our plans to decarbonise our power generation at Peterhead. With the captured CO₂ safely transported and stored using the Acorn infrastructure, the new station would provide essential, low-carbon power to complement renewable generation and ensure security of supply. As we look ahead to COP26 in Glasgow this year, Scotland has a clear opportunity to take a leadership position on CCS technology, accelerating the net zero transition while unlocking major local investment and high-quality jobs.”
Nick Cooper, CEO of Storegga, the lead developer of the Acorn Project, said:
“This important alliance will ensure this new generation power facility at Peterhead has a robust CO₂ transportation and storage solution. As we scale the Acorn project to store 20 million tonnes per year, or more, of CO₂ emissions by the mid-2030s, this alliance should be one of many. It is an example of the rapidly growing demand for the Acorn CO₂ infrastructure that we expect to be operational by the mid-2020s. Acorn will enable carbon intensive industries around the country to deal with their emissions and will also provide the essential base infrastructure to support the deployment of other low carbon energy projects in this region.”
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Notes to Editors
Acorn Project
For more about the Acorn Project visit: www.theacornproject.uk
Storegga
Storegga exists to pioneer carbon reduction and removal projects for the net zero world. It aims to champion and deliver CCS, hydrogen, and other subsurface renewable projects in the UK and internationally to accelerate carbon emission reductions. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Pale Blue Dot Energy, Storegga is the lead developer of the Acorn Project in North East Scotland, providing essential infrastructure to help the UK and Europe meet net zero targets.
For more info on Storegga, Pale Blue Dot or Acorn contact storegga_media@camarco.co.uk or 020 3757 4980
Shell
Learn more about Shell’s experience in CCS at:
https://www.shell.com/energy-and-innovation/carbon-capture-and-storage-projects.html
For more information on Shell’s involvement, please contact +44207 934 5550
Harbour Energy
Brunswick Group
Patrick Handley / Tel: 07974 982395
Will Medvei / Tel: 07823 527148
About SSE Thermal
SSE Thermal is responsible for SSE plc’s flexible generation and energy storage activities, with over 600 direct employees across the UK and Ireland. As part of its commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions, the business has a core focus on decarbonising its operations through carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen technology. In addition to its project at Peterhead, SSE Thermal is progressing plans with Equinor for two low-carbon power stations at Keadby in North Lincolnshire as part of the Zero Carbon Humber partnership. SSE Thermal is part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, the UK’s leading generator of renewable energy and a Principal Partner to the UK Government for COP26. Find out more at www.ssethermal.com.
About Equinor
Equinor is the country’s leading energy provider, supplying natural gas, oil and electricity, and aims to reach net zero emissions globally by 2050. It is a leader in carbon capture & storage and hydrogen, developing the H2H Saltend low-carbon hydrogen production plant in the Humber, collaborating with SSE Thermal on low-carbon power projects using hydrogen and carbon capture in the Humber and a further carbon capture power project in Scotland, and the Net Zero Teesside power project. As part of the Northern Endurance Partnership, it is developing CO2 transport and storage infrastructure for the Humber and Teesside. Equinor’s UK activities also include operating offshore oil and gas fields and offshore wind farms, and its expansion plans include Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Find out more at www.equinor.co.uk
