Swinney says early approval of Acorn Project vital for Grangemouth

First Minister John Swinney in Perth. Image: DC Thomson

John Swinney has vowed to pressure the UK Government to green-light the Acorn carbon capture project early in the wake of the imminent closure of the Grangemouth refinery.

The first minister said senior figures in the previous Conservative government promised him this would be done but approval has still not been forthcoming.

Petroineos announced on Thursday it will shutter the refinery in the second quarter of next year – putting 400 jobs on the site at risk.

Union leaders had hoped the facility would remain open longer to provide time for a green alternative to be established.

‘Deeply let down’

Speaking during a visit to Perth on Saturday, Swinney said he had asked the firm to reconsider and also held talks with workers and unions.

SNP activists with First Minister John Swinney and Perth City North SNP Candidate Carol Mair. Image: DC Thomson

The SNP leader believes early authorisation of the Acorn Project in St Fergus in Aberdeenshire would be a “significant boost” to efforts to find new opportunities at the Grangemouth site.

But he said he has been left feeling “deeply let down” over broken promises from the UK Government.

“There has only been around a nine-month period to try to develop alternative propositions,” Swinney said.

“New areas of activity take time and I think everybody felt that we had time on our side to do that because there was no necessity for the refinery to close so quickly.

John Swinney speaking to the media in Perth. Image: DC Thomson

“What we have to do is accelerate those preparatory works to make sure there are new opportunities, that there are new industries.

“There are things that can be done in the short term.

“I set out at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday the opportunity of the Acorn Project, which is a really significant opportunity for Grangemouth, Scotland and the UK – but it needs the UK Government’s approval.

“I was promised by Michael Gove that this would get approval in the past and it never happened.

“I’ve made concessions to enable that to happen so I’m pressing the UK Government to take that decision because that would add to the new opportunities which will find a way of bridging the industrial change as a result of net zero.”

Governments face criticism

The Acorn Project would see harmful greenhouse gas emissions piped under the North Sea and then stored.

The previous UK Government committed to backing the project and the Scottish Government announced £2 million of funding in July.

However, both governments have come in for strong criticism over their preparations for the Grangemouth refinery closing.

Derek Thomson, Scottish secretary at Unite, said Project Willow – the work being done by the Scottish and UK governments on a potential future for the site – is “too slow”, adding: “Project Willow is about the work of tomorrow – we need work today.”

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer, said the Scottish and UK governments have failed to plan for the future.

‘It’s not over yet,’ says Salmond

Former first minister Alex Salmond was asked during a pro-independence event in Glasgow on Saturday what needs to be done to save the refinery.

He said: “It’s political will. I saved Grangemouth twice with Gordan Brown in 2008 and 2013 and just needed to say to the companies involved that closure is not acceptable.

“Why should Scotland be the only one in 25 oil producing countries without a refinery?