An important step has been taken in investigating the viability of capturing and storing CO2 gases underground in Northern Ireland.

The cross-border study aims to find alternative storage possibilities for renewable energies, and has been welcomed by Economy Minister Arlene Foster.

The Geological Surveys of Northern Ireland (GSNI), Republic of Ireland (GSI) and the British Geological Survey (BGS), have worked with economists and engineers to assess locations where carbon dioxide (CO2) could be stored safely underground.

The rocks that underlie the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are the subject of a range of studies by academia, industry and Government, into carbon capture and storage research.

Capturing carbon from the main emitters, such as power stations, and storing it underground in deep, secure geological formations, is an important technology that can reduce the release of CO2 into the atmosphere.

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CO2 captured at a power station could be transported by pipeline and injected into rocks deep below the surface and stored safely there for thousands of years.

It is EU policy to promote CCS technology through a series of demonstration projects and the UK Government is expected to make an announcement of a pilot project later this year.

Welcoming the new information provided by the study, Minister Foster said: "The European Union and UK Government have set ambitious targets to reduce CO2 emissions.

"Electricity generation from renewable or low-carbon sources, such as wind, wave, tidal and geothermal, will assist in this reduction. However, fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal, which emit high levels of CO2, will remain important components of our energy supply for years to come.

"The regional collaboration by the three Geological Surveys to gather and interpret this geoscience data will therefore inform Northern Ireland and UK-wide policy, not only about the potential of underground storage of CO2 but also the enhancement of security of energy supply."

Garth Earls, Director of the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, said this study is an important first step to finding secure CO2 storage locations.

He said: "Results of the study suggest there are potential areas that can be considered for follow-up research, including a number of off-shore sedimentary basins between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

"Further investigation of these areas is needed however, in order to determine if they could be used to safely store CO2."

(PR/JM)