ACT Acorn: a catalyst for low-cost, low-risk clean growth

International collaboration shows how UK’s assets can accelerate Europe’s transition to sustainable future

The groundbreaking Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project [1] has today released findings from its international joint research project [2], which show how the UK can support decarbonisation of some of Europe’s carbon-intensive regions from the early 2020s through the phased roll-out of a low-cost, low-risk North Sea CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.

DOWNLOAD PROJECT FINDINGS / INFOGRAPHICS

Research partners from the UK, the Netherlands and Norway will share results from the accelerated 18-month project [3], funded by the European Commission’s ERA-NET ACT programme [4], at a stakeholder event in Westminster this afternoon [5].

Among other findings, extensive research into several pivotal areas found that:

• The UK’s existing North Sea oil and gas transport infrastructure coupled with an impressive natural CO₂ storage resource offers significant benefits and value. [Info: Unlocking underground CO₂ storage]
• Careful screening around just three strategically important pipelines reveals at least 16 suitable storage sites, with the most promising two potentially providing a storage resource for over 650 million tonnes (Mt) of CO₂, which could be in use from as early as 2023.
• The deep-water port at Peterhead can import CO₂ by ship from the UK and Europe. With a maximum throughput of 16Mt of CO₂ annually, this facility could enable carbon capture in many other regions around the UK and the North Sea. [Info: The Acorn options]
• This early start to decarbonising high-emitting regions can then be expanded in a phased and low-cost manner through the use of this national and European CO₂ CCS network.
• The reuse of legacy oil and gas infrastructure as part of the Acorn CCS project will save around £648 million compared to the cost of new build. This brings a significant saving to the taxpayer in decommissioning alone. [Info: Infrastructure reuse and decommissioning]
• Decarbonisation of the UK gas grid – for heat and transport – is possible by producing hydrogen from natural gas with CCS at St Fergus, where 35% of all UK natural gas comes onshore. [Info: The Acorn options]
• Citizens in high-emitting industrial areas look to governments to enable a just transition from a fossil-fuel based economy to an environmentally sustainable future. [Info: CCS and a Just Transition]
• In all three life cycle assessment scenarios (overall carbon footprint) the Acorn CCS project is predicted to bring major carbon reductions and lower the impact of greenhouse gases on health and ecosystems. [Info: Life cycle assessment]
• Knowledge derived from the ACT Acorn project will be invaluable for similar developments in other North Sea regions and further afield where legacy oil and gas operations are in place.

Aage Stangeland, The Research Council of Norway and the Coordinator of the ERA-NET ACT programme, said: “The ACT Acorn project has delivered very interesting results that can hopefully pave the way for full-scale CCS.”

Steve Murphy, project director, of Pale Blue Dot Energy said: “The ERA-NET ACT programme has been a truly transformational step in what we plan will be the realisation of a practical and functioning CCS infrastructure project for Europe, the UK and Scotland. Acorn CCS is now well placed to be an operating project by 2023, firmly realising an option for the UK to deliver CCS at scale in the 2030s and supporting many industrial clusters around the North Sea to significantly decarbonise. The project has been supported by highly capable and understanding research partners with a matched passion for decarbonisation to whom we are grateful.”

Download ACT Acorn technical reports from the project website (click on tree)

Media contact

Kirsty Lynch

Senior Business Consultant, Pale Blue Dot Energy

T: +44 (0)7557 470679

E: kirsty.lynch@pale-blu.com

Notes to Editors

[1] Acorn CCS is a phased full-chain project in North East Scotland, which will transport and store CO₂ captured initially from the St Fergus gas processing terminal. In November, Acorn CCS received a commitment from the UK Government, the Scottish Government and Pale Blue Dot Energy and Total, to match funding for Acorn’s CO₂ transport infrastructure development through the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facilities [Government and Industry join forces to support Acorn CCS investment, 28 November 2018: https://bit.ly/2T155s3]. It has also been awarded the Oil and Gas Authorities first CO₂ appraisal and storage licence and Crown Estate Scotland’s first lease option for CO₂ storage for the Acorn CO₂ Storage Site.

[2] The ACT Acorn consortium is led by Pale Blue Dot Energy and includes The Bellona Foundation, Heriot-Watt University, Radboud University, Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage, University of Aberdeen, The University of Edinburgh and University of Liverpool. www.actacorn.eu

[3] The other seven funded ACT projects run for three years. See [4]

[4] ACT Acorn is funded by the Accelerating CCS technologies (ACT) co-fund of ERA-NET under the Horizon 2020 programme. ACT comprises nine countries and the European Commission, who have collaborated in making funds available for CCS research and innovation. ACT Acorn has received funding from BEIS (UK), RCN (Norway) and RVO (The Netherlands). Latest News