U.K. to Ban New Coal Mines

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The U.K. has announced a ban on new coal mines one month after the closure of the country's last coal-fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar.

The new Labor government stated that it will introduce legislation "as soon as possible" to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. It forms part of the government's drive to accelerate the country's shift to green energy. With the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant, the U.K. became the first G7 nation to end its reliance on coal-fired power. It means coal has gone from generating around 40% of the U.K.'s electricity supply in 2012 to 0% today.

"Coal mining powered this country for over 140 years and we owe a huge debt to workers who kept the lights on for homes and businesses across the country," commented U.K. Energy Minister Michael Shanks: "Now the U.K. is in prime position to lead the way in phasing out coal power around the world, which remains the single largest contributor to global emissions. The government's plan to prevent future coal mining is another step in its mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, by transitioning away from fossil fuels to cleaner, homegrown energy sources."

In September, the U.K.'s High Court quashed a decision by the previous Tory government to allow the building of the country's first deep coal mine in more than 30 years. The controversial project near Whitehaven in Cumbria had received the green light in 2022 but the court found that the original assumption that the mine would not increase greenhouse gas emissions was "legally flawed". Industrial Info is tracking a number of projects associated with the proposed mine, which planned to use run-out and pocket extraction mining methods to produce 3.2 million tonnes per year of coking coal from a reserve of approximately 750 million tonnes. For additional information, see September 25, 2024, article--High Court Blocks U.K.'s First New Coal Mine in 30 Years.

The Labor government, which took power in June, has made some major decisions and financial commitments regarding green energy and reducing emissions. In July, it reversed a long-standing ban on the building of onshore windfarms. The repeal of the nine-year ban was also backed by the possibility that large onshore projects could be classed as nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), which would allow the government to approve projects quickly without local council approval. For additional information, see July 17, 2024, article - U.K. Drops Onshore Wind Ban, but Oil & Gas Sector Worried. In addition, it pledged almost £22 billion (US$28.8 billion) in funding for the country's two leading carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives in the north of England: the East Coast Cluster initiative in the Teesside and Humber regions of northeast England and the HyNet initiative in the Merseyside area of northwest England and north Wales. Industrial Info is tracking 48 projects under the Hynet umbrella worth US$3.7 billion in investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the report. For additional information, see October 14, 2024, article--U.K. Pledges $28 Billion to Build Carbon Capture Industry.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).