The Acorn project, based in St Fergus, would take captured CO2 emissions from industrial processes across the country and store it safely under the North Sea.

The Scottish Cluster brings together Acorn, National Gas’s SCO₂T Connect Project - a pipeline scheme which links the Central Belt with North East Scotland - and a variety of industrial, power, hydrogen, bioenergy and waste-to-energy businesses.

The First Minister will meet representatives of the project and undertake a short tour of the site, before meeting staff and apprentices.

While in Aberdeenshire the First Minister will also meet business leaders and members of the Scottish seafood sector at a roundtable discussion in Peterhead.

Speaking ahead of his visit to the North East, the First Minister said: “Carbon capture and storage will play a huge role in Scotland’s net zero future. The Scottish Government is wholly committed to supporting the Acorn Project, which will take advantage of our access to vast CO2 storage potential and our opportunities to repurpose existing oil and gas infrastructure.

“Scotland’s energy transition presents one of the greatest economic and social opportunities of our time. This landmark project will help to support a just transition for oil and gas workers in the North East and across the country, by drawing upon their world-leading skills and expertise to create many good, green jobs in the coming years.

“The North East is also a powerhouse of Scotland’s world-class seafood processing sector, which contributes massively to our economy. According to recent figures, the region alone is home to more than 3,379 full time equivalent jobs. The Scottish Government will continue to engage and work closely with the sector, and communities, to ensure that Scotland’s fishing industry, the wider seafood sector, and our marine environment can thrive sustainably.”