Coal mines to reopen in Doncaster for new Clean Coal power station?

Beneath our feet here in UK there is an estimated 200 years of coal. No political party can realistically ignore this fact, not with the world energy crisis looming just on the horizon.

The major power supply companies here in UK are already predicting a 60% rise in the cost of home energy, gas and electricity, over the next ten years or so.

It is therefore in the best interests of the UK to re-open productive mines, which were shut down in order to preserve their coal for a future generation. That future generation is now here and in command of UK.

The Miner's Strike(s) were back in the 1970s - we are now approaching the second decade of the 21st century - nearly 40 years ago. At best, David Cameron, a possible UK PM, was but a babe in arms back then.

List of Coal fired power stations in UK

http://www.ukqaa.org.uk/PowerStation.html

At the moment UK is importing huge amounts of coal from such as Poland. What happens in the not too distant future when the Poles decide to shove the price of their coal up because of a world energy crisis? It will happen.

Meanwhile, back to the future. . . .

There is one massive source of energy which may have been missed by a lot of folk and it's oil. Yes oil. Down there off the Falkland Isles. Guess who owns it? Anyone who buys the shares, that's who.

Falkland Isles OIL and GAS

http://www.fogl.com/

http://www.einnews.com/falklandislands/newsfeed-fa...

The British did not go to war in the Falklands in c1982 just for a few sheep stations and what Ronnie Regan described as 'that bunch of rocks'. No, it's all about oil. Back in c1882 the Americans sent their biggest warship the USS Lexington down to the Falklands to blow the Argentine fleet out of the water. Wonder why? Oil!!!

POWER FOR THE PEOPLE

Tory biatch Margaret Thatcher and Tarzan Hesseltine destroyed the UK mining industry. Even the moderate pits that didn't go on strike are all closed down now, and the Nottinghamshire miners NEVER bowed to King Arthur Scargill. So why did they close then? Thatcher desecrated an industry along with the steel industry.

I sometimes wonder if we'll ever have a great mining industry ever again, but as the oil runs out, and people want foreign run energy companies, but no nuclear power..... the coal looks more and more set to make a comeback, till Cameron puts his big toffy nosed boot in the industry again next year like him Mummy Thatcher did.

I love to come home to a real fire, roaring like a great lion with BRITISH coal.

They had this developed by the CRE just before they shut the whole industry down. Pity, as I applied for a job there - as well as dumping a load of people on the unemployment scrap heap. I think the 1000 years worth of coal would be if it was just for us. Which may not be a problem. South Africa turned it into oil when the world stopped trading with them during aprtheid, but I think this can be energy hungry. China do it as well. They get most of their coal from Australia I think. There's sometimes months worth of tailbacks of ships in harbours waiting for it.

It could make us independent for energy production at least, although it's also dependent on the quality of the coal. If it's lower down it can be waterlogged. Why it's not being given the go ahead I don't know. I'd say this is a damn sight better than wind farms (infrastructure to build???). Could be good for employment too if it's expanded.

The salient point being missed here is that the technology is unproven.

There certainly IS enough coal for all our energy needs for the foreseeable future, but this is a pilot scheme that may or may not prove to be uneconomical, and/ or successful in reducing emissions to an acceptable level.

This research, and trials, imo, is absolutely vital to Britains interest, and I would hope if it works we can reopen many mines...and also, as the questioner mentions, sell our world leading technology to other nations with large coal stocks.

Britain then gets to be rich, AND saves the world! Yeehahhhh!!(smile)

Arthur Scargill destroyed the mining industry by getting into a power struggle with Maggie ...

If you ask me, he had dreams of being the new Lenin & leading the Country in overthrowing the Conservative Government of the day ... unfortunately, he fell for Maggies trick of provoking him into starting a miners strike in the summer....

After the defeat of the miners, the power industry moved heaven and earth to escape from reliance on coal as in 'never again' .. which suited Maggie just fine (as in 'now they are down, make sure they will never get up')

I don't think it can be done. Apparently, once a coal mine is closed that's it. Without maintenance they become flooded and dangerous. I can't remember the details but I do remember reading an article about this when this question was raised.

Where, in that article, does it say anything about UK mines being reopened?

There's plenty of coal down there. It's just thanks to King Arthur that it became too damned expensive to dig it out. Now the oil's running out, we may have to think again.