National Audit Office slams government’s decision to scrap carbon capture scheme
The National Audit Office (NAO) today slammed the government's decision to scrap support for carbon capture storage (CSS) technology, a move it says will cost the taxpayer billions.
The scheme would've helped the UK meet its green targets by removing and storing CO2 from coal or gas-fired power stations.
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The National Audit Office's sustainability in spending review said that without CCS, the UK could be forced to shell out another £30bn to meet its 2050 carbon targets using more expensive low carbon technologies.
Similarly, the move means carbon capture storage is unlikely to be deployed before 2030.
"It is critical that government establish a new strategy for supporting large scale deployment of CCS," Mary Creagh, chair of the environmental audit committee, said.
It came as the committee of public accounts urged the government to learn from a “blinkered” implementation of a Green Deal loans scheme in 2013.
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It said forecasts for loans to help households make energy-efficiency improvements had been excessively optimistic and "gave a completely misleading picture of the scheme’s prospects to Parliament and other stakeholders".
They experienced "a truly dismal" take-up, with each one costing the taxpayer £17,000 and leading to minimal CO2 savings