- The UK has offered licenses for carbon storage sites to successful applicants.
- These sites can store up to 10% of the country’s annual emissions.
Twenty carbon storage licenses have been granted for offshore sites, including areas near Aberdeen, Teesside, Liverpool, and Lincolnshire. These licences were made available through the carbon storage licensing round initiated by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) in June 2022, concluding in September of the same year.
Covering a total area of around 12,000 square kilometres, slightly larger than Yorkshire, the UK’s largest county, these licences mark a significant step forward in the country’s journey towards achieving net zero. Stuart Payne, Chief Executive of the NSTA, has expressed excitement and emphasised the significance of carbon storage in meeting decarbonisation targets.
Gus Jaspert, Managing Director of Marine at The Crown Estate, and Colin Palmer, Director of Marine at Crown Estate Scotland, praised the announcement as a positive step towards offshore carbon injection and the UK’s net zero targets. Ruth Herbert, Chief Executive of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, has hailed the licensing round as a vital step towards unlocking the UK’s carbon storage potential. She expressed hope for future rounds and the opportunity for more nationwide sites to participate.