The Scottish Government has stated that they will grant the Acorn project £2 million. This project, was built with the aim that it will capture, transport and safely store CO2 emissions from all throughout Scotland.

Furthermore, the Acorn Carbon transport and storage project was set up as a joint venture with the Scottish Cluster and this venture will benefit from the collective expertise of Storegga, shell UK, Harbour Energy and North Sea Midstream Partners, with National Gas.

The new funding which will be provided to the project, will be put to excellent use when it comes to exploring how a pipeline could have the potential to transport Carbon Dioxide from Scotland’s central belt, all the way to the North East.

On top of this, the project will also be working alongside industrial, power, hydrogen, bioenergy and waste-to-energy businesses. This part of the collaboration will also include all of those kinds of companies based in Peterhead, Grangemouth and Mossmorran, which are interested in capturing CO2 emissions. After capturing these emissions, the plan is for them to be sent to permanent geological storage, which is located under the North Sea.

Whilst visiting St Fergus in Aberdeenshire, which is where the Acorn transport and storage terminal are due to be based, First Minister John Swinney commented, “The Acorn project will be essential in securing the future of key industrial sites like Grangemouth and Mossmorran. A National Gas pipeline is a critical component of the project and I am delighted that the Scottish Government is providing funding to accelerate this innovative work,” he continued, “We are determined to support projects like this to support the development of Scotland’s carbon capture and storage sector and the fair and just transition of oil and gas sector. This announcement today demonstrates our unwavering support for carbon capture and storage, and I am confident that the UK Government will work constructively with us to ensure the Acorn Project is awarded Track 2 status. Enabling this innovative work to progress will help unlock so many opportunities not just for Scotland, but for the UK as a whole.”

Managing Director of Acorn, Nic Braley, mentioned, “We welcome the Scottish Government’s support for the SCO2T Connect project, and the recognition of its importance for the decarbonisation of Scotland's industry. Working together, Acorn and National Gas can provide a CO2 transport and storage solution to the Scottish Cluster, a diverse range of emitters from across Scotland and the rest of the UK, who are all committed to timely and cost-effective decarbonisation. The Scottish Cluster, with Acorn at its core, and the UK and Scottish governments can collectively make a major contribution to UK Net Zero commitments, supporting ambitions for clean energy, green prosperity and value for money. We look forward to working with both Scottish and UK Governments to make the Scottish Cluster a reality."