16th December 2008 - Our region set to lead the way on new carbon capture technology after EU deal

Local Euro-MP Linda McAvan welcomed the decision by heads of European governments to back a plan that she been championing in the European Parliament – which could see a groundbreaking new technology to clean up emissions from coal and gas power stations and heavy industry in our region.

Linda has led demands to secure funding for industrial-scale demonstration projects of new “carbon capture and storage” technology. The move will see up to 12 such plants built around Europe by 2015, with Yorkshire Forward already bidding to bring one to Yorkshire & Humber.

The idea behind carbon capture and storage (CCS) is that the carbon emissions from fossil fuel-fired power stations can be trapped and stored under the sea, rather than released into the atmosphere and adding to climate change. However, on a large-scale the technology has not yet been proven anywhere in the world.

Linda McAvan, who speaks on climate change issues for the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, has been calling for some of the proceeds of the EU’s flagship carbon-reduction programme, the Emissions Trading Scheme, to be used to fund these demonstration projects. Last week in Brussels, national governments agreed to the plans as part of a wide-ranging package of measures to tackle climate change.

The plans need the support of MEPs - who share law making powers on climate change with ministers - and the vote in the European Parliament is scheduled for tomorrow.

Stephen Brown, Sustainable Development Manager at Yorkshire Forward said:

"This is great news for the region. We are uniquely positioned to secure a carbon capture demonstration project due to the high concentration of energy intensive industry in the region, our proximity to potential carbon storage sites in the southern North Sea and the interest of exiting industry in exploiting carbon capture and storage.  We are working with industry in the region to bring forward investment proposals to meet the timescale of an EU demonstration programme."

Linda McAvan says;

“For many years before Margaret Thatcher, Yorkshire’s coal was famous around the world. Today we face new challenges – rising electricity prices, insecure energy supplies from overseas, and the challenge of climate change. Last week, European governments signed off on a whole package of measures to meet these challenges; increasing renewable supplies of energy, cutting carbon emissions from industry, encouraging more efficient transport, and developing the new technologies we need. I want Yorkshire to be at the forefront of developing that technology, to help deliver at least a 20% cut in Europe’s carbon emissions by 2020.”