New Scottish coal policy could be bolder – Friends of the Earth Scotland comment

No new coal-fired power stations will be built in Scotland unless they demonstrate carbon capture and storage at a commercial scale – on at least 300MW of capacity.

Duncan McLaren said: “Scotland does not need new coal fired power stations, neither for energy security nor to demonstrate carbon capture and storage. Scottish Ministers should have been bolder than their UK counterparts, and ruled out the prospect of new coal power stations, by requiring 100% carbon capture and storage (CCS) from day one. [2]

“Under the new rules – assuming the developers are prepared to take the commercial risk, which is not inconsiderable – a proposal such as that for Hunterston could go ahead with 300MW of CCS and 1300MW of unabated dirty coal, adding to Scotland’s climate changing emissions – potentially for decades.[3]

“Scottish Ministers should push ahead with a legally enforceable emissions performance standard for fossil fired power stations, like the kind already applied to cars. That would limit the amount of CO2 they could emit for every unit of electricity they generate. They should also continue to back the early demonstration of retro-fit CCS technology on Longannet power station, while supporting further pilot projects on non-power sector sources such as refineries and cement works. In this way they could help make the most of Scotland’s natural advantages in carbon storage while phasing out both the use of coal and nuclear power.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact: Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland T: 0131 243 2719

Notes to editors

1. This is a response to the “New Policy for coal power” announced by the Scottish Government today (9 November).

2. As the recent Power of Scotland Renewed report shows, Scotland can meet over 140% of its electricity demand by 2030 from renewables, and won’t need nuclear power or indeed any large-scale fossil power generation. Download the report from foe-scotland.org.uk/powerofscotlandrenewed

3. The Scottish Government announcement does not specify when retro-fit should be completed on such demonstration plants, and the UK announcement expresses only an expectation that this process would be completed by 2025.

4. Friends of the Earth Scotland exists to help people in Scotland look after the planet for everyone’s future. We think globally and act locally in Scotland, delivering solutions to climate change by enabling and empowering people to take both individual and collective action. We offer help to people with the big things in life – helping to sustain a healthy society and environment. We believe that all of our children’s futures will be better because of what we do.