In response to the Energy Secretary's statement on carbon capture and storage, Climate Group’s Executive Director for Government and Policy, Champa Patel, said:
"Hailing carbon capture and storage as, ‘essential’ is misguided. CCUS should not delay decarbonisation, or discourage investment, in technology which already exists to reduce emissions.
Allowing CCUS to take up vital funding in the climate change fight might risk diverting investment for renewables - a proven, scalable technology that has thousands of job opportunities. This government should prioritise investment in the domestic renewable supply chain rather than a technology that is at least a decade away from being viable at scale and unlikely to ever be cost competitive with renewable projects."
"Plans to adopt carbon capture must be firmly rooted in economic realities, technical readiness and energy usage of these solutions without undermining existing initiatives.
22bn would be better placed into existing, proven technologies that can rapidly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, rather than business as usual with carbon capture bolted on.
Investing in the future of Britain is a clear fossil fuel phaseout. This is where focus is required."
For interviews or comments with spokespeople: Vanessa Power, [email protected] // +447752403008
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