Fears over funding for green energy trial

THE Scottish Government has called for "urgent clarification" of fears that funding for groundbreaking trials into technology, which would allow emission-producing coal plants to store their carbon emissions underground, could be slashed as part of UK government budget cuts.

The Treasury has refused to quash claims that 9 billion proposals for four carbon capture and storage (CCS) pilot plants - including a plan for a 300MW trial facility at ScottishPower's coal-fired plant in Longannet, Fife - could be most vulnerable when the UK government reveals the results of its spending review next month.

A Scottish Government spokesman urged politicians in the UK to continue to fund CCS projects. He said: "We would fiercely oppose any attempt by the UK government to reduce direct support for the CCS competition, and are currently seeking urgent clarification from the UK government on this matter.

"Cutting this support could seriously undermine their commitments to cut emissions and send the wrong signal to industry and the public about the viability of this technology."

A spokesman for the Treasury refused to comment on the contents of the spending review, due to be announced on 20 October.

Longannet is one of two plants to submit proposals for a competition to be the UK's first commercial-scale CCS plant.