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| Green groups hopeful of underground coal gasification ban | Green groups hopeful of underground coal gasification ban |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Scotland's energy minister is to make a statement on the future of underground coal gasification (UCG) in the country. | Scotland's energy minister is to make a statement on the future of underground coal gasification (UCG) in the country. |
| Environmental groups have said they hope Paul Wheelhouse will announce a ban on the controversial method of converting underground coal into gas. | Environmental groups have said they hope Paul Wheelhouse will announce a ban on the controversial method of converting underground coal into gas. |
| The Scottish government imposed a moratorium on UCG last year while its potential impact was examined. | The Scottish government imposed a moratorium on UCG last year while its potential impact was examined. |
| A wider moratorium on unconventional oil and gas extraction, including fracking, also remains in place. | A wider moratorium on unconventional oil and gas extraction, including fracking, also remains in place. |
| Mr Wheelhouse's statement to Holyrood will follow the submission of a report by former Sepa chief executive Prof Campbell Gemmell, who was tasked with carrying out an independent examination of UCG. | Mr Wheelhouse's statement to Holyrood will follow the submission of a report by former Sepa chief executive Prof Campbell Gemmell, who was tasked with carrying out an independent examination of UCG. |
| UCG is a method of extracting gas from coal seams that are too deep underground to be mined using traditional techniques. | UCG is a method of extracting gas from coal seams that are too deep underground to be mined using traditional techniques. |
| Energy firm Cluff Natural Resources had planned to build the UK's first deep offshore UCG plant at Kincardine in Fife, which would have extracted gas from coal seams under the Firth of Forth. | Energy firm Cluff Natural Resources had planned to build the UK's first deep offshore UCG plant at Kincardine in Fife, which would have extracted gas from coal seams under the Firth of Forth. |
| Cluff had claimed UCG could generate £13bn pounds for the UK, with almost half of it being retained in Scotland. It also estimated almost 5,000 jobs could be created in Scotland. | |
| But it halted work on the Kincardine project last year until the political debate on the issue was resolved. | But it halted work on the Kincardine project last year until the political debate on the issue was resolved. |
| UCG licences in the Firth of Forth and Solway Firth were also held by firm Five Quarters, although the company collapsed earlier this year. | UCG licences in the Firth of Forth and Solway Firth were also held by firm Five Quarters, although the company collapsed earlier this year. |
| 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 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 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. |
| 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 UCG is a risky and experimental technique, with a "very chequered history" around the world. | But environmental campaigners have claimed UCG is a risky and experimental technique, with a "very chequered history" around the world. |
| Read more here | Read more here |
| When it introduced the moratorium, the Scottish government said it was treating UCG as a separate technology to onshore unconventional oil and gas, which includes hydraulic fracking. | When it introduced the moratorium, the Scottish government said it was treating UCG as a separate technology to onshore unconventional oil and gas, which includes hydraulic fracking. |
| 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 separate studies into fracking, which involves pumping pressurised water and chemicals into shale beds to release gas, had been due to report back in the summer of this year - but now look unlikely to be submitted until after next week's SNP conference. | |
| Many grassroots SNP members voiced strong opposition to fracking at last year's party conference. | |
| 'Scientific evidence' | |
| Commenting ahead of Mr Wheelhouse's statement on UCG, Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said anything less than an outright ban would be deemed an "environmental failure of the government to stand up to pressures from the oil and gas industry". | |
| His comments were echoed by environmental groups including WWF Scotland and Friends of the Earth, who both called on the government to ensure UCG was never carried out in Scotland. | His comments were echoed by environmental groups including WWF Scotland and Friends of the Earth, who both called on the government to ensure UCG was never carried out in Scotland. |
| But Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Alexander Burnett said UCG and fracking had the potential to create thousands of jobs and boost the economy at a time when the North Sea oil and gas industry is in decline. | But Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Alexander Burnett said UCG and fracking had the potential to create thousands of jobs and boost the economy at a time when the North Sea oil and gas industry is in decline. |
| He added: "The Scottish government has chosen to ignore scientific evidence and has kept these difficult issues on the back burner for political reasons. | He added: "The Scottish government has chosen to ignore scientific evidence and has kept these difficult issues on the back burner for political reasons. |
| "The minister has the opportunity to send a clear signal to investors that Scotland is open to business opportunities from new energy technologies." | "The minister has the opportunity to send a clear signal to investors that Scotland is open to business opportunities from new energy technologies." |
| Meanwhile, a decision is expected later from the UK government on two applications to start fracking in the north west of England. | |
| Last year, Lancashire Council rejected the applications by the energy firm Cuadrilla, which appealed that decision. |