The boss of carbon-reduction and removal company Storegga says that everything needs to be thrown at the climate emergency.

Chief executive Nick Cooper was speaking after Westminster unveiled shortlisted bidders in Phase 2 of its carbon-capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) cluster-sequencing process.

This phase is for carbon-capture projects that plan to connect to the emissions transport and storage infrastructure that will be developed through the clusters.

The latest announcement follows last November's selection of two clusters in England - Hynet and East Coast - as Track 1 clusters.

The UK Government has also confirmed that more information on Track 2, which will allow other clusters to secure backing, will be shared in "due course".

It is widely assumed that the Scottish Cluster, which missed out in Track 1, will be one of those selected.

The Scottish Cluster contains a CCUS project based at the St Fergus gas terminal being developed by Storegga and several partners.

Time of the essence

Mr Cooper said time was of the essence.

He told the Press and Journal:"The record temperatures this summer mean we are in a 'kitchen-sink scenario' - we need to throw everything at the climate emergency.

"The latest announcement is another step forwards in establishing a carbon-capture-and-storage industry in the UK, which can act quickly to remove huge volumes of harmful CO₂ as soon as 2026.

"We have been developing specialist CO2 storage techniques in the UK for over 15 years.

"This is an industry primed to provide a vital climate-emergency service and create sustainable, high-skilled jobs as we transition away from fossil fuels.

"Carbon storage and removals, alongside efforts to improve energy efficiency and replace fossil fuels, are a vital tool in the first aid kit to heal our planet.

"The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to an update on the Track 2 process.

Lead developer

"As the lead developer of the Scottish Cluster, one of the UK's most-mature CO2 stores, we look forward to hearing more on opening up the UK's CO2 storage.

"We know we have huge emitter customer demand. Let's make the storage available as quickly as possible."

Will Webster, energy policy manager at industry body Offshore Energies UK, said: "This Phase 2 announcement marks a crucial and positive step as we work to cut UK emissions, and will make an important contribution to the 2021 North Sea Transition Deal.

"This is just the start. We are going to need all of these projects, including the Scottish Cluster and more, to support our ambition of capturing 10million tonnes of CO2 per year by the end of the decade.

"Advancing these projects will mean we can support energy-intensive sectors to meet Government climate targets and continue to produce the reliable and cleaner energy the country needs."

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