Longannet, Scotland's biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions

The British Geological Survey is currently collaborating with two Edinburgh universities to establish how the proposal might be carried out.

Carbon dioxide would dissolve in water after being injected into sandstone.

One scientist said that if successful, it could provide Scotland with a multi-million pound industry.

Longannet power station in Fife is the single biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas produced by human activities, in Scotland.

Coal role

Coal supplies about a third of Scotland's power and the government has said it will continue to have a role in energy production.

Scotland has previously been accused of lagging badly behind the rest of the UK in the fight against climate change.

A report by the Scottish Parliament's environment committee released last month said emissions were currently too high, meaning it was likely the country would fail to meet short and long-term emission targets set for the UK.

What we hope to hear from the UK Government is a commitment to a demonstration of the technology Dr Les King Mitsui Babcock

Ministers expect new technology to be produced to burn the gas more efficiently and therefore cut down on CO2 pollution.

Professor Stuart Haszeldine, of Edinburgh University, told BBC Scotland that burying the gas under the seabed was a viable option to help beat global warming.

He said: "The carbon dioxide can be injected into sandstone about a mile underground and it then dissolves in the water underground into normal fizzy water similar to the bottled variety we are accustomed to drinking."

There are large amounts of sandstone under the North Sea and Professor Haszeldine believes, like oil, Scotland could be sitting on another multi-million pound business.

Capturing emissions

Academics from Heriot Watt University are collaborating on the research project.

Other companies in Scotland are investigating ways of making the use of coal more environmentally friendly.

Mitsui Babcock in Renfrew claims to be leading the international field with modern coal-fired boilers.

Traffic levels are adding to air pollution

It is already selling the technology to burn coal more efficiently and is looking to capture the CO2 emissions ready for deep sea burial.

Company spokesman Dr Les King said he hoped the government would support a trial of the plan.

He added: "What's holding this up and what we hope to hear from the UK Government is a commitment to a demonstration of the technology.

"What is needed to enable that demonstration to proceed is obviously government funding."

ScottishPower, which owns Longannet, is leaning towards another technology called "gasification".

Spokesman Keith Anderson said: "I think it's a great concept. What you do is capture and take the carbon out of the coal before you burn it and then store it under the sea."

However environmentalists are remaining cautious over the proposals.

Friends of the Earth Scotland said new technology could play a part in combating climate change but it hoped that the government's coal strategy would not divert money away from renewable energy projects.

Chief executive Duncan McLaren said: "Carbon capture is almost certainly going to be part of the solution to climate change.

"But on its own, it is neither a magic wand nor a long-term solution."