The Scottish Government has been urged to reject plans for a new “climate-destroying” gas-fired power station in Aberdeenshire.
More than 13,000 people have signed a petition opposing the proposals in Peterhead, which activists say are “dangerous and unnecessary”.
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Scotland, which presented the petition to St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh on Monday, said the construction of the new site would mean that households would not have to pay the high energy bills set in the international market. He said he would be detained.
pumped up
The group said this would hinder the transition to renewable energy and extend the country’s dependence on fossil fuels for another 25 years.
The current planning application proposes to extend the existing site and build a new 910MW gas-fired power station.
Environmental groups claim existing power stations in the area are already Scotland’s biggest polluter.
SSE, which wants to develop the site alongside Equinor, said carbon capture technology could reduce emissions from the power plant by up to 90 per cent.
The plan is to send greenhouse gases produced by the site to St. Fergus and pump them into depleted oil wells about 80 miles offshore in the North Sea.
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The FoE said carbon capture at this scale was “unproven” and there were “serious concerns” about its safety.
Environmental activist Freya Aitchison has called on the Scottish Government to focus on renewable projects instead.
She said: “The Scottish Government is already missing its climate targets, but instead of stepping up and delivering on climate action, it is considering approving this hugely polluting new power plant.” .
“The construction of another gasworks in Peterhead will increase climate-destroying emissions and lock Scottish people into exorbitant energy bills for decades to come.
Renewable
“Thousands of people are backing this campaign to urge ministers to reject this controversial development and focus instead on solutions we know work, such as publicly owned renewable energy. I am appealing to you.
“Carbon capture has a long history of failure and is a dangerous distraction from the real job of reducing emissions and delivering a just transition for workers and communities.”
Tommy Wickerstaff, head of 350.org UK and co-sponsor of the petition, added:
“We urge the Scottish Government to reject these outdated proposals and instead fund and support the great renewable energy opportunities waiting to open up across Scotland.
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“Retraining guarantees and support for Scotland’s existing oil and gas workforce must also be part of these investments.”
Earlier this year, ministers withdrew their 2030 target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 75%, acknowledging it was unlikely to be achieved.
Climate change activists have warned that Peterhead’s new power station will further jeopardize current 2045 net-zero emissions targets.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: ‘It would not be appropriate to comment on live planning applications.
“A decision will be taken by ministers in due course, taking into account the application information, consultation responses and representations from the public.”
SSE and Equinor have been approached for comment.
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Craig Meighan is a political reporter from Scotland, Pennsylvania.
