Acorn, the carbon capture and storage project in Aberdeenshire, is set to receive its remaining UK government support as loans or an equity stake instead of grants. The original £200 million grant commitment partly remains, with money already drawn down by developers still in place. Energy minister Martin McCluskey said the change is meant to deliver better value for taxpayers and free up budget for defence spending. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said he is deeply concerned about the funding shift. Acorn could support around 15,000 jobs at peak and would store emissions from Scottish industry under the North Sea seabed. The project's final terms and whether it reaches a final investment decision will determine if that capacity becomes real.
