Humza Yousaf has cricitised “entirely unacceptable” delays to the UK Government confirming funding for a key energy project – claiming it is putting Scotland’s climate crisis aims at risk of failure.

The UK Government has named the Acorn carbon capture, utilisation and storage project in Peterhead as a reserve bid for funding, but is yet to bring forward concrete finances for it.

The First Minister has claimed that Scotland’s climate change ambitions are being “held back by UK Government dithering and delay”.

Tory ministers, who have already invested more than £41m in the project, are yet to confirm a timescale for when funding will become available.

Statutory advisers, the Climate Change Committee, have warned that without the project coming forward soon, the Scottish Government’s legal targets, which are already at risk of failure, could not be met.

Read more: Warning SNP may have to redraw climate strategy after carbon capture snub

MSPs are legally bound to cut 1990 levels of carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 and become net zero by 2045, five years ahead of the UK aim.

But carbon capture and storage has drawn criticism from climate campaigners and some scientists, with the technology essentially allowing fossil fuels to continue to be explored.

Under the technology, carbon is captured and prevented from entering the atmosphere and injected into the seabed.

Now, the First Minister has called on the UK Government to give the go-ahead for the Acorn project in a bid to end uncertainty for investors and stakeholders.

Read more: SNP climate plan dealt blow as activists demand probe into carbon capture and storage viability

Mr Yousaf said: “Scotland’s net-zero future is being held back by UK Government dithering and delay.

“The Acorn scheme should be given approval now, so that we can take advantage of our unrivalled access to a vast CO2 storage potential and our opportunities to repurpose existing oil and gas infrastructure.

“CCS will play a pivotal role in achieving a just transition for our workforces, capitalising on existing world-leading skills and expertise to create many good, green jobs in the coming years.”

He added: “Despite the UK Government confirming in March that Acorn is ‘best-placed’ to meet the eligibility to be awarded track-2 status, which would allow access to financial support from the UK Government, they continue to fail to provide a clear timetabled solution for the next stages of the process.

“This is entirely unacceptable and layers further uncertainty on top of never-ending delays which are impacting investor confidence and which compromise our climate-change commitments and just-transition ambitions.

Read more: 'Grievance politics': SNP criticised over energy project missing £80m

“Acorn’s target of capturing and storing up to five million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030 is critical to Scotland’s plans to achieve net zero by 2045, ahead of the rest of the UK. The scheme will also help the UK Government to deliver on its commitments.

“While the UK Government prevaricates, we have already established a £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East to build on the region’s world-renowned expertise and ingenuity, to create jobs, foster innovation and support the region to deliver a fair and managed transition to net zero.”

Catherine Raw, managing director of SSE Thermal, who are part of the Scottish cluster group of industrial companies backing the capture and permanent storage of CO2 emissions, said: “To unlock the potential of Peterhead and the wider region, it is vital that the Scottish cluster is brought forward urgently, allowing the development of decarbonisation projects to be accelerated and Scotland’s net-zero ambitions to be met.

“Doing so will not only help us meet our energy goals, it will also support industries and provide a fair and just transition for workers and communities across the North East of Scotland, including at Peterhead.

“SSE have set out plans to invest up to £40 billion in the next decade, including more than £21 billion in Scotland alone.

“Renewables will be at the heart of that investment but we also recognise the need for flexible generation to provide backup when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Our existing Peterhead station fulfils that role today, playing a critical role in Scotland’s energy system.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are making the entire UK a world leader in carbon capture, backed by an unprecedented £20 billion, and are accelerating development of this vital technology as part of our greater efforts to increase energy security.

“Scotland can play a strong role in developing and expanding the use of CCUS and we have already allocated the Scottish cluster over £40 million in development funding in recent years.”