Two of Equinor’s partnership projects have been approved by the Government and will become a reality marking a major milestone in the UK’s £4billion Carbon Capture and Storage plans.
The announcement means the country’s first carbon storage facility has been given the go-ahead to capture millions of tonnes of CO2 and store it under the North Sea, thereby helping to clean up some of Europe’s biggest carbon producing areas.
The North Sea is thought to be an ideal geological location for carbon capture, where disused oil and gas aquifers will be used to store CO2 emissions from heavy industries.
The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has been a strong backer of Equinor’s plans and has supported their efforts in lobbying the Government to get the schemes in Teeside and the Humber approved. Chamber Chief Exec Dr Ian Kelly said: “This is great news for the Humber and for Teeside as well. When we hosted the then Shadow Energy Secretary Ed Miliband at the Chamber in Hull we impressed upon him the urgency of bringing this scheme to the fore if the UK is to meet its 2050 net zero targets.”
Now the Energy Secretary in the new Government, Ed Miliband said: “This investment launches a new era for clean energy in Britain – boosting energy security, backing industries, and supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs in Teesside and the North East.
“This is the Government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower in action- replacing Britain’s energy insecurity with homegrown clean power that rebuilds the strength of our industrial heartlands.”
Richard Royal, Head of Public Affairs & Communications for Equinor, said: “This is fantastic news and a very important step for the low carbon energy industry, establishing the very first carbon capture and storage projects in the UK. Whilst this announcement relates primarily to Teesside, it also helps to unlock and speed up similar opportunities in the Humber.
“We now have the green light to further develop and consult on engineering plans for the onshore CO2 pipeline from Easington to Drax, in advance of a DCO submission.
“Also, with the first Track-1 projects ‘off the blocks’, it clears the way for the progression of Track-1 Expansion and Track 2 projects in the Humber, which have been in limbo for nearly two years.”
