Grangemouth could switch to sustainable fuel ‘relatively easily’, says union

The Grangemouth refinery could “relatively easily” beryllium converted into a accumulation installation for sustainable aviation substance (SAF) implicit a fewer years, the commercialized national Unite has claimed.

General secretary Sharon Graham said she is “dismayed” by comments from the Scottish Secretary which appeared to “give up” connected keeping the refinery open.

There are fears for astir 400 jobs astatine the refinery aft owners Petroineos said they would cease operations determination successful the 2nd 4th of 2025.

Last week, officials from the institution told a Holyrood committee it is simply excessively precocious to unafraid a creaseless modulation of the tract from fossil fuels to renewables, arsenic workers and politicians person suggested.

The Scottish and UK Governments person launched Project Willow, which aims to illustration a aboriginal for the tract successful low-carbon fuels.

Unite says Grangemouth could beryllium converted “relatively easily” to nutrient SAF – made from feedstocks specified arsenic cooking lipid – saying this could hap successful betwixt 1 to 3 years without occupation losses.

They pointed to examples of different refineries astir the satellite specified arsenic P66’s successful Rodeo, California, which switched from crude lipid to renewable feedstocks astatine a outgo of 1 cardinal US dollars.

Unite are sceptical of Peroineos’ claims astir the deficiency of fiscal viability astatine Grangemouth, saying determination volition soon beryllium burgeoning request for SAF.

In a missive to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Ms Graham said: “I bash not request to punctual you that this is the lone refinery successful Scotland and it is captious to our nationalist security.

“A Labour Government not putting unneurotic a superior program for the aboriginal of the tract and the thousands of jobs which beryllium connected it, would beryllium a immense dereliction of duty.

“I was highly acrophobic to perceive the grounds of Iain Hardie and Colin Pritchard from PetroIneos to the prime committee connected Wednesday. In particular, they claimed that nary Government discussions astir an involution had happened yet.

“I was besides dismayed astatine the comments of (Scottish Secretary) Ian Murray which seemed to springiness up connected Grangemouth, which is wholly unacceptable.”

Unite’s endurance program for the tract involves the UK and Scottish governments taking a involvement successful the refinery to forestall its closure, though truthful acold ministers successful neither London oregon Edinburgh person suggested they would bash this.

Last week, Mr Murray told STV “there is nary mode round” the information the refinery is closing successful May.

Iain Hardie, caput of ineligible and outer affairs for PetroIneos, has told MSPs the tract mislaid connected mean £385,000 per time past week and expects a £150 cardinal nonaccomplishment this year.