How Can We Possibly Be Short Of Coal?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20x1qqyz8vo

FGS we live on an Island largely made of it, yet we are importing it on diesel powered ships? How is that helping climate change? Stop this net zero rowlocks and open some mines again. Now is the time.

[Untitled]

if we had 189 billion tonnes in coal reserves then we would have about 50 billion more than china and almost as much as the USA lol. i find that a little hard to believe.

[ToraToraTora]

....you doubt the EUSSR? Don't tell Lilly Von Schtupp!

[Canary42]

Wasn't it the Tory Tyrant Margaret Thatcher who closed all the mines ?

 

[ToraToraTora]

no, Labour closed the most mines, TGL just weeded out the chaff and gave Scargill a good sound thrashing.

[Clone]

Wasn't it the Tory Tyrant Margaret Thatcher who closed all the mines ?

 

A mid-70s IQ is more widespread than I thought.

[douglas9401]

http://www.healeyhero.co.uk/rescue/individual/Bob_Bradley/PM-Closures.html

[New Judge]

"Wasn’t it the Tory Tyrant Margaret Thatcher who closed all the mines ?”

Not quite. 626 had been closed between 1945 and the time she came to power. 354 had been closed under Labour governments and 272 under the Conservatives. Mrs Thatcher closed a further 115.

“if we had 189 billion tonnes in coal reserves then we would have about 50 billion more than china and almost as much as the USA lol. i find that a little hard to believe.”

From “euracoal”:

“The UK has identified hard coal resources of 3, 560 million (3.56bn) tonnes although total resources could be as large as 187 billion tonnes.”

The figures you need to compare are those of “proven coal reserves”. The UK has 3.56bn tonnes, China has 149bn tonnes.

The UK has plenty of coal for its meagre needs. Yes, it will run out eventually, but not before a more measured and properly thought out strategy is planned and enacted to see its use end.

What the country doesn’t have is politicians who think clearly. If it did, it would dig it up and use it. Instead it leaves it in the ground, preferring instead to pay over the odds for it and see that payment leave the economy, then ship it halfway round the world in diesel powered ships. This, according to our increasingly eccentric Energy Secretary, “sends a message to the world” on coal.

Meanwhile, China burns more coal than the rest of the world put together and has, either in planning or under construction, coal fired power stations which will see its grid capacity increase by ten times the UK’s total capacity from all sources (none of it from coal).

The message obviously hasn’t reached Beijing yet.

 

[Untitled]

i think there is good reason to doubt euracoal's figures. 

[Togo]

It may also be worth noting that smelting plants need a lot of electricity to operate 24/7. At night when the sun is asleep and the wind is not blowing, all day when it is cloudy, during snowstorms bad weather, at times of domestic peak consumption and a back up supply. Guess which fuel can guarantee that without carting it around the World. Right again. Coal.   

[gulliver1]

17.21....  Should have buried her in one .

[Old_Geezer]

Nuclear should be able to provide that Togo. Naturally under UK ownership, no one outside, like China or France for example.

[maggiebee]

Aye Thatcher has a lot to answer for.

[gulliver1]

11.31 And her worshippers ..Maggiebee.

[ynnafymmi]

@11.31.And nowadays the SNP eejits and the Scottish Green numpties maggie.

[maggiebee]

You're entitled to your opinion ynnayffi

[ynnafymmi]

So how many underground coal-mines do you think would still be operating in Scotland today if Thatcher hadnt happened maggie?

[Togo]

It takes a long time to get a nuclear plant up and running Geezer. A coal powered steam turbine is the only short term quick fix. Or get fracking and have a gas powered turbine.