• NAO report reviews progress of and next steps of CCUS programme.  

• While some progress made, DESNZ is behind schedule in agreeing support for Track-1 projects. 

• NAO report includes six recommendations for HM Treasury and DESNZ, such as assessing which sectors of the economy depend on CCUS, drawing lessons from Track-1 negotiations, and ensuring adequate oversight of Track-1 project progress to identify and address any issues that could affect the CCUS programme’s objectives. 

Today the National Audit Office (NAO) published a report on the progress of and next steps for the Government’s Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) programme. The REA welcomes the report’s findings and recommendations, particularly in relation to making much needed progress with the Cluster Sequencing Programme, as called for in Biomass UK’s first 100 days briefing.  

Samantha Smith, Head of Biomass at the REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology), said: 

“Today’s National Audit Office (NAO) report is the latest publication to highlight the importance of getting on with publishing the carbon capture Cluster Sequencing Programme, making Final Investment Decisions for Track-1 clusters, and setting out the next steps for Track-1 expansion and Track-2 clusters as quickly as possible. 

As recently highlighted by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios report, if we are going to meet our emissions reductions targets and ultimately reach net zero, then we need negative emissions technologies like Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). However, urgent policy action is required to give developers the confidence to make vital investment decisions and ensure projects can deploy on time. The REA remains committed to working with Government to progress this as quickly as possible.”