UCG effectively banned - now for fracking, say green groups
Green groups have hailed the Scottish Government’s decision to turn its back on a controversial energy extraction technique as a “victory for people power”.
Energy minister Paul Wheelhouse told MSPs on Thursday that underground coal gasification (UCG) "poses numerous and serious environmental risks", adding that it would have "no place in Scotland's energy mix at this time".
He spoke after the publication of an independent report into the technique by Professor Campbell Gemmell of Glasgow University.
The study found UCG is environmentally damaging and it would be “logical to progress toward a ban".
This is victory for people power. Setting coal seams alight under two of our major firths was always a reckless idea
UCG is a method of extracting gas from coal seams that are too deep underground to be mined using traditional techniques.
Private companies hold licences to carry out the process in Scotland and the Solway Firth and the Firth of Forth had both been proposed as sites.
The licences were issued by the UK government and Holyrood will push to have them revoked.
Meanwhile, existing planning legislation will be used to block UCG.
The technique had come under heavy from environmental charities, however, who said the process is extremely risky.
Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: "This is victory for people power. Setting coal seams alight under two of our major firths was always a reckless idea and today the government has listened to communities and put an end to this risky industry.
"The history of UCG is littered with contamination incidents, ground subsidence and industrial accidents. Today's announcement will come as a huge relief to communities around the Forth and Solway Firths faced with this highly experimental technology, and give heart to communities threatened by other intrusive new fossil fuels.”
She said she hoped this would be a turning point in the fight against other “unconventional” energy extraction methods such as fracking and coalbed methane drilling, both of which are under moratorium in Scotland.
This was also the message from WWF Scotland director Lang Banks, who said: "This decision is great news for the environment and a victory for those who have fought tirelessly to resist these climate-trashing schemes.
“In the coming months we hope Scottish ministers will similarly reject plans to frack for gas. The science is clear - to protect our climate the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves must remain unburned.
“Pursuing new fossil fuels would be a distraction from the renewables revolution already underway in Scotland. With well over half of our electricity now coming from clean renewable sources, we should be focusing on expanding renewables in to other sectors such as heat and transport.
“We hope this decision sends a signal globally that Scotland is embracing the shift to a zero carbon future, and is determined to continue to be a climate change leader.”
RSPB Scotland also welcomed the news. Lloyd Austin, head of conservation policy, said: “We are at a critical time in Scotland where we need to move to sustainable, low carbon energy and at the same time protect our natural environment, which is under ever-increasing pressure.
“Our understanding of the potential impacts of UCG is still limited. Given sites being investigated in the Firth of Forth include some of our most important places for marine wildlife including internationally protected seabirds, we welcome that the Scottish Government has taken a precautionary approach, resisted pressures to rush ahead with this technology and put the protection of the environment and local communities first.”
