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| Scottish moratorium on underground coal gasification confirmed | Scottish moratorium on underground coal gasification confirmed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Scottish government has imposed a moratorium on underground coal gasification (UCG). | |
| Cluff Natural Resources had been planning to use the technique to extract gas from under the Firth of Forth near Kincardine. | Cluff Natural Resources had been planning to use the technique to extract gas from under the Firth of Forth near Kincardine. |
| The company halted work on the project in August until the political debate on the issue was resolved. | The company halted work on the project in August until the political debate on the issue was resolved. |
| Campaigners had been calling for UCG to be added to the existing moratorium on onshore unconventional oil and gas. | Campaigners had been calling for UCG to be added to the existing moratorium on onshore unconventional oil and gas. |
| The Scottish government said it was treating UCG as a separate technology to onshore unconventional oil and gas, which includes hydraulic fracking. | The Scottish government said it was treating UCG as a separate technology to onshore unconventional oil and gas, which includes hydraulic fracking. |
| Public consultation | Public consultation |
| It said it was adopting a "cautious, evidence-based approach" to both techniques, with a separate moratorium on UCG allowing the necessary time for "full and careful consideration of the potential impacts of this new technology". | It said it was adopting a "cautious, evidence-based approach" to both techniques, with a separate moratorium on UCG allowing the necessary time for "full and careful consideration of the potential impacts of this new technology". |
| The SNP had been due to hold a potentially divisive debate on the issue at its autumn conference later this month. | The SNP had been due to hold a potentially divisive debate on the issue at its autumn conference later this month. |
| Prof Campbell Gemmell, the former chief executive of environmental agency Sepa, has been appointed to lead an independent examination of the issues and evidence surrounding UCG. | Prof Campbell Gemmell, the former chief executive of environmental agency Sepa, has been appointed to lead an independent examination of the issues and evidence surrounding UCG. |
| Ministers have informed the Scottish Parliament that the government will carry out a "thorough and wide-ranging research process" into the potential impacts of such onshore techniques. | Ministers have informed the Scottish Parliament that the government will carry out a "thorough and wide-ranging research process" into the potential impacts of such onshore techniques. |
| They have also published a planned research and public consultation timetable, and confirmed that the public consultation will begin once the research process has been finalised and the results published. | They have also published a planned research and public consultation timetable, and confirmed that the public consultation will begin once the research process has been finalised and the results published. |
| What is underground coal gasification? | What is underground coal gasification? |
| The UCG process has been around since the 19th Century, but is only now becoming commercially viable on a grand scale thanks largely to technological developments and the rising price of gas. | The UCG process has been around since the 19th Century, but is only now becoming commercially viable on a grand scale thanks largely to technological developments and the rising price of gas. |
| Its supporters argue it is a new and cleaner way of extracting the estimated 85% of the world's coal reserves that are too deep to mine using traditional techniques. | Its supporters argue it is a new and cleaner way of extracting the estimated 85% of the world's coal reserves that are too deep to mine using traditional techniques. |
| The process involves pumping oxygen and steam through a small borehole into the coal seam to produce a small and controlled combustion. | The process involves pumping oxygen and steam through a small borehole into the coal seam to produce a small and controlled combustion. |
| Unlike coal-bed methane, therefore, the actual coal is converted from a solid state into gas. The hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and CO2 are then siphoned off through a second borehole. | Unlike coal-bed methane, therefore, the actual coal is converted from a solid state into gas. The hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and CO2 are then siphoned off through a second borehole. |
| According to Dr Harry Bradbury, founder and chief executive of UK clean energy company Five Quarters, this process results in 20% of the CO2 produced from traditional coal mining. | According to Dr Harry Bradbury, founder and chief executive of UK clean energy company Five Quarters, this process results in 20% of the CO2 produced from traditional coal mining. |
| But environmental campaigners have claimed that UCG is a risky and experimental technique, with a "very chequered history" around the world. | But environmental campaigners have claimed that UCG is a risky and experimental technique, with a "very chequered history" around the world. |
| Read more about UCG | Read more about UCG |
| Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "We should never close our minds to the potential opportunities for Scotland from new energy technologies - but we must also ensure that community, environmental and health concerns are all fully taken account of. | Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "We should never close our minds to the potential opportunities for Scotland from new energy technologies - but we must also ensure that community, environmental and health concerns are all fully taken account of. |
| "The research we propose in this timetable will give all interested stakeholders important information to allow a more informed debate during the public consultation. | "The research we propose in this timetable will give all interested stakeholders important information to allow a more informed debate during the public consultation. |
| "In line with our evidence-led approach we are today also putting in place a moratorium on the onshore planning of underground coal gasification developments to allow time for full and careful consideration of the potential impacts of this technology for Scotland." | "In line with our evidence-led approach we are today also putting in place a moratorium on the onshore planning of underground coal gasification developments to allow time for full and careful consideration of the potential impacts of this technology for Scotland." |
| While powers to award onshore unconventional licences are being devolved to Scottish ministers, powers to award operators exclusive rights to exploit coal resources for UCG rest with the UK government and the Coal Authority. | While powers to award onshore unconventional licences are being devolved to Scottish ministers, powers to award operators exclusive rights to exploit coal resources for UCG rest with the UK government and the Coal Authority. |
| Because of this, the Scottish government said the moratorium on UCG would be implemented at Scottish planning authority level. | Because of this, the Scottish government said the moratorium on UCG would be implemented at Scottish planning authority level. |
| The announcement was welcomed by environmental groups. | The announcement was welcomed by environmental groups. |
| Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "There is overwhelming public opinion in favour of cleaner forms of energy and a sufficient body of evidence why unconventional oil and gas are neither good for people or the planet. | Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "There is overwhelming public opinion in favour of cleaner forms of energy and a sufficient body of evidence why unconventional oil and gas are neither good for people or the planet. |
| "While this rightly puts a hold on underground coal gasification for now, we hope the final decision will be to rule it out completely." | "While this rightly puts a hold on underground coal gasification for now, we hope the final decision will be to rule it out completely." |
| Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "We are confident that when the evidence is independently assessed and the Scottish public have had a chance to voice their concerns, this consultation will lead to a full ban on unconventional gas and fracking." | Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "We are confident that when the evidence is independently assessed and the Scottish public have had a chance to voice their concerns, this consultation will lead to a full ban on unconventional gas and fracking." |
| But Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Murdo Fraser accused the Scottish government of ignoring scientific evidence on the issue. | But Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Murdo Fraser accused the Scottish government of ignoring scientific evidence on the issue. |
| He added: "A recent report from Biggar Economics stated that underground coal had the potential to create a multi-billion pound industry in Scotland, supporting 5,000 jobs. | He added: "A recent report from Biggar Economics stated that underground coal had the potential to create a multi-billion pound industry in Scotland, supporting 5,000 jobs. |
| "It is disappointing that this opportunity is being put on the back-burner as a result of the SNP's internal difficulties. The SNP need to start listening to the scientific evidence on this and on so many other issues." | "It is disappointing that this opportunity is being put on the back-burner as a result of the SNP's internal difficulties. The SNP need to start listening to the scientific evidence on this and on so many other issues." |
| Cluff chief executive Alex Cluff has previously argued that UCG would "represent a major advance towards Scottish energy self-sufficiency and is therefore entirely consonant with the concept of Scottish independence." | Cluff chief executive Alex Cluff has previously argued that UCG would "represent a major advance towards Scottish energy self-sufficiency and is therefore entirely consonant with the concept of Scottish independence." |
| He had also called on central government to take over planning decisions on energy projects from local authorities, warning that a local block would turn some areas into "industrial wastelands". | He had also called on central government to take over planning decisions on energy projects from local authorities, warning that a local block would turn some areas into "industrial wastelands". |