A powerful cross-party coalition of more than half of all Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) at Holyrood has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to urgently commit funding and support for the Acorn carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Aberdeenshire.
Their intervention, delivered in a formal letter to the Chancellor, follows mounting job losses in Scotland’s industrial heartlands and warnings that further delays to Acorn could jeopardise the nation’s path to net zero, threaten investment, and undermine energy security.
The letter, signed by 71 MSPs and 10 MPs from across the political spectrum -including former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie, and Labour MP Gregor Poynton – warns that without immediate action, Scotland’s industrial decarbonisation is at risk.
The signatories urge:
“Acorn is Scotland’s only at-scale CO₂ transport and storage solution. Without it there is no viable route for Scottish industry to decarbonise.”
The letter highlights that the green energy transition is not progressing quickly enough to offset the decline in the North Sea oil and gas sector. It states that fast-tracking Acorn could generate £17.7 billion for the UK economy, create 15,000 new jobs, and protect 18,000 existing jobs.
The MSPs also stress that a prompt decision would enable SSE’s plans for a new 900MW carbon capture power station at Peterhead, unlocking further phases of industrial decarbonisation for sites such as Grangemouth, where 400 jobs have already been lost due to the refinery’s closure.
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the political show of strength, stating:
“If the energy transition is to succeed, we need a green light for Acorn to move forward with pace and certainty. This letter-signed by around half of Scotland’s parliamentarians-is an important cross-party show of strength by MPs and MSPs who understand the importance of avoiding a cliff-edge and unlocking opportunities in terms of jobs and economic growth.”
He added that while funding certainty has been given to other CCS projects in England, “a balanced pathway toward a decarbonised future requires more CCS than just these two projects-and must put Acorn on the road to delivery.”
Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, echoed the urgency:
“Scotland cannot afford further delays on Acorn CCS. The Government has pledged a just transition for our workforce, but those promises must now be matched with decisive investment.”
A UK Government spokesperson has acknowledged the significance of the Acorn project, stating:
“We are delivering first-of-a-kind carbon capture projects in the UK, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, reigniting industrial heartlands and tackling the climate crisis. The energy secretary has made clear that we recognise the value of the Acorn project to Scotland and our wider clean power plan. Carbon capture requires significant resources and it is right that it is considered within the spending review.”
The UK Government pointed to previous funding of over £40 million for Acorn’s development and highlighted recent investments in clean energy infrastructure in Scotland, including the headquarters of Great British Energy in Aberdeen and a £56 million award for Cromarty Firth’s offshore wind port.
Acorn, based at St Fergus in Aberdeenshire, is designed to capture emissions from major Scottish polluters and store them in depleted North Sea gas reservoirs. It is widely regarded as essential for Scotland’s net zero ambitions and for safeguarding the future of key industrial sites. The project has faced repeated delays and was previously passed over for major funding in favour of projects in England, leaving Scottish industry leaders and politicians increasingly frustrated.
With Scotland facing a wave of industrial job losses and its net zero ambitions under threat, the unprecedented cross-party call from Holyrood MSPs and Westminster MPs adds significant pressure on the Chancellor to deliver immediate and decisive support for the Acorn CCS project. As the letter states:
“If the UK is serious about decarbonisation, economic growth and energy security, we must move faster and more decisively on CCS. We urge you to take the necessary action to ensure that Acorn is delivered at pace.”
