Minister “hopeful” on White Rose carbon capture project

Mrs Leadsom insisted the decision of power generator Drax to withdraw from the flagship White Rose project last week did not represent a fatal blow.

It has long been hoped that White Rose could be the anchor project for a pipeline network carrying harmful gases from across the region for storage in the North Sea making Yorkshire a world leader in carbon capture and storage.

The two other partners in White Rose, which is involved in a competition for Government funding, have said they remain committed to the project.

Mrs Leadsom told The Yorkshire Post: “I’m hopeful that competition project will go ahead.

“Carbon capture and storage would be a world first in the UK when and if we get the go-ahead.

“There are two competition projects and it’s too early to say whether either or both will be funded or if either or indeed both would make it to a final investment decision.

“They are still very much working on it and I certainly don’t rule out that White Rose will go to a final application.”

Mrs Leadsom was in the region to see how the Humber is developing its ambitions to be a hub for green energy.

She officially opened power generator E.ON’s Humber Gateway wind farm before travelling to Hull to see the site for the forthcoming Siemen’s wind turbine plant.

Concerns have been raised that the Government’s current spending review could see financial support for offshore wind power scaled back.

Mrs Leadsom said it was important to balance the need to support emerging technologies with the impact on consumers who ultimately pick up the bill for subsidies.

She said: “Absolutely key for us will be to make sure that our policy announcements when they come after the spending review will entirely reflect the need that businesses have for certainty and transparency so they can plan for the longer term.”

Mrs Leadsom said she was “hugely impressed” by the range of energy businesses operating in the area and the number of apprenticeships being created by the sector.