Carbon Capture & Storage and Hydrogen
Greenwashing technologies risk prolonging the life of oil and gas
Hydrogen and Carbon Capture are technologies supported by the oil and gas industry in a bid to delay the end of fossil fuels. These so called ‘false solutions’ cannot deliver the urgent action we need to cut emissions this decade.
There is a real risk that relying on these speculative technologies will divert support, resources and money away from proven and far more effective solutions to the climate crisis. If Scotland is to meet its climate commitments and contribute its fair share we must take urgent action today rather than waiting for these speculative solutions.
These oil and gas industry technologies will keep us locked into fossil fuels, further endangering our climate and our future.
The false promise of Carbon Capture
Despite billions of pounds of investment and years of research, there are no Carbon Capture and Storage plants anywhere in the world that work effectively at the scale promised.
The majority of existing Carbon Capture plants use carbon captured to actually force out more fossil fuels from underground. Carbon Capture and Storage provides oil and gas companies with the excuse they need to keep on extracting fossil fuels, while claiming a magical technological solution is just around the corner.
Don’t fall for Hydrogen’s Hype
Hydrogen is being promoted as an alternative to the fossil fuels used for heating homes, transport and heavy industry. But it’s expensive to produce, inefficient and far from a low carbon solution. In fact, three quarters of the global hydrogen supply is made from fossil fuels (‘blue hydrogen’).
Blue hydrogen can also be highly polluting and is reliant on unproven Carbon Capture and Storage technology. Meanwhile, the less common Green hydrogen risks diverting renewable energy away from direct uses in heating buildings and powering transport.
How we have been challenging Hydrogen and Carbon Capture
We have been working hard to end the Scottish Government’s dangerous over-reliance on so called ‘negative emissions technologies.’
By amassing evidence of their failures and engaging the public, we are putting pressure on decision makers to change course.
Carbon Capture & Storage Explainer
What is Carbon Capture and Storage, how feasible is it and why should we be worried about its false positioning as a climate solution?
This easy to read guide answers these questions, and sets out our deep concerns about the growing push for public investment in CCS from fossil fuels companies.
Hydrogen Explainer
This simple guide explains why we should be deeply sceptical about large scale plans to develop hydrogen in Scotland to use in heating and transport.
Blue Hydrogen relies on fossil fuels and unproven CCS technology. Meanwhile, Green Hydrogen is an inefficient and expensive use of renewable electricity.
Relying on Carbon Capture and Storage will not solve climate crisis, expert research shows
CCS technology cannot not deliver the action needed in the energy sector this decade despite huge Government support.
After decades of over-promising and under-delivering, there are just a small amount of plants capturing less than 0.1% of the world’s emissions.
Peterhead Power Station Explainer
Energy giants want to build a new and additional gas-fired plant at Peterhead power station in Aberdeenshire.
This could keep us locked into burning fossil fuels for electricity for decades to come.
Find out more about these dangerous proposals and how we are taking action to stop it.
What we are doing
- Commissioning expert research including exposing how Carbon Capture will not deliver the cuts to climate pollution from energy this decade
- Challenging the oil and gas industry’s hype around Hydrogen, exposing flaws in their case and urging the Scottish Government to think again about their plans
- Producing easy to read guides to help people make sense of the spin around CCS and Hydrogen
- Working with allies we are opposing dangerous and ill-advised schemes to burn trees to generate energy in a process called Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage.
Tell the Scottish Government to reject fossil fuel greenwash
CCS and Hydrogen technologies will lock us into the continuing use of fossil fuels.
They will allow greedy oil and gas companies to keep on polluting the climate, as well as making huge profits.
Email the Energy Minister today to demand an end the support of these dangerous distractions.
Hydrogen Report undermines case for political support
Research shows the high costs and low efficiency of hydrogen, as campaigners call on Scottish Government to rethink their commitment
'Green' hydrogen also demands enormous quantities of renewable energy.
Electrification of heating and transport found to be better solution than using hydrogen.
How we are making progress
We will continue our important work in this area, and have recently:
- Exposed the Scottish Government’s over-reliance on CCS & Hydrogen in their plan for climate action this decade
- Spoken to media and politicians about the threat of Carbon Capture
- Built opposition amongst the public and climate groups to these dangerous distractions.
Carbon Capture is the oil and gas industry's latest greenwashing tactic with a long history of over-promising and under-delivering.
Alex Lee, Climate Campaigner
Public money would deliver more jobs, faster emissions cuts and bigger boosts to wellbeing if it was invested in renewables and energy efficiency.
Latest Blogs
We went to Peterhead to talk to people about the new gas-fired power station
People stopped to discuss the fossil fuel industry, local employment, the climate crisis and the history of the Peterhead Power Station.
Carbon capture won’t limit the damage of incineration – it’ll make it worse
The impact of incinerators won’t be reduced by carbon capture and storage. We need to stop burning waste.
Report exposes high cost, low efficiency of hydrogen
Our recent hydrogen report exposes this high cost, low efficiency technology that threatens renewable energy supplies
Latest Press Releases
Energy Strategy: Scottish Government must ‘bite the bullet’ on oil & gas phase out
Scotland needs a fully renewable energy systems by 2030.
SSE admits new Peterhead gas plant will belch out more climate pollution
The current Peterhead plant is Scotland’s biggest polluter producing over 1 million tonnes of climate changing gases each year.
Acorn project fails to get funding – Scottish Government must now develop plan to ‘plug the climate gap
Climate campaigners say that instead of being over-reliant on these ‘dangerous distractions’ Ministers should be rolling out climate solutions that will rapidly cut fossil fuel use.
Resources
Friends of the Earth Scotlands response to the Grangemouth Inquiry
Objection to Peterhead power station
Submission to Scottish Government urging them to reject application for a new gas-fired power station.
Report: Hydrogen’s role in Scotland’s climate journey
A new report exposing the inefficiencies, soaring costs and the threat posed to renewable energy supplies by hydrogen technology.
Hydrogen Briefing
Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Action Plan, this briefing gives an overview of the different types of hydrogen production and considerations for their use in Scotland
Hydrogen Factsheet
Explaining the different between types of Hydrogen and how oil and gas companies are backing them as a climate solution.
Carbon Capture & Storage Factsheet
Carbon Capture & Storage Factsheet
Related work
Just Transition
Ending our dependency on oil and gas is an opportunity to replace our broken energy system with one that prioritises people and planet, instead of profit.
No New Oil and Gas
To ensure a liveable future for everyone, we must urgently stop climate-wrecking oil and gas.
Why BioEnergy isnt the climate answer
A briefing on the dangers posed by the unproven and dangerous technology of BioEnergy with Carbon Capture and Storage.
Help make more impact
Become a member
Join as a member and enjoy our regular newsletter, invites and updates while supporting our mission.
Campaigns
From plastics to air pollution and from challenging greenwashing to fossil fuel divestment, we are making a real difference.
Jobs
We are a small team making a real difference. See our latest vacancies and volunteering opportunities and join the team.