ScottishPower has reiterated its commitment to deliver a commercial-scale demonstration project of carbon capture and storage (CCS) by 2014 as part of the UK Government’s CCS competition.

Following positive talks with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), ScottishPower has been reassured that the UK Government’s carbon capture and storage competition remains on track.

ScottishPower sought reassurance about the status of the competition in light of public statements that other entrants may not be able to deliver a commercial scale CCS system in the UK by 2014.

ScottishPower has always insisted that to be able to demonstrate at scale by 2014 is important if the UK is to maintain its fragile position as a lead developer of this crucial technology and harness it to play a fundamental part in tackling the challenges posed by climate change.

ScottishPower Chief Executive, Nick Horler, said:

“With the USA, Canada and China catching up fast, it’s vital that we continue in the race to bring CCS out of the laboratory and make it a reality. Only that way will we in the UK be able to capitalise on first mover’s advantage and bring fresh jobs, skills and opportunities to the UK. What’s important for us at ScottishPower is that we deliver best value to the UK taxpayer and the best way we can do that is if the UK stays ahead of the pack.”

ScottishPower’s CCS scheme is based on retrofitting the groundbreaking capture technology to its coal-fired power station at Longannet in Fife, Scotland. The plant’s close proximity to the potentially huge undersea storage sites offered by the Central North Sea make it ideally placed to kick-start an entirely new industry based on CO2 reduction.

Notes to editors:

• ScottishPower is one of the leaders in the UK Government’s competition to develop a commercial scale Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project.
• To enable CCS to be delivered quickly it has formed a consortium with Aker Clean Carbon, Shell and National Grid.
• The competition was launched in late 2007 to encourage energy companies to develop commercially viable CCS schemes. There were originally nine entrants.
• The ScottishPower Consortium is currently operating a carbon capture test rig at its power station at Longannet in Fife, Scotland. It was installed in May 2009 and has run continuously for 2000 hours.
• It is the only energy company in the UK which is operating a carbon capture unit on a working coal-fired power station. This will help prove the chemistry of carbon capture and uses the same technology that can be retrofitted to the tens of thousands of coal-fired power stations worldwide.

Media information – Simon McMillan 0141 566 4875/ 07753 622 257