http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6696043.stm''Scottish Coal has said it would like both the Scottish Executive and the Westminster government to back their plans to restart deep mining. The company said new clean-coal technology could lead it to exploit the vast reserves of coal in Scotland. Scottish Coal said it had identified a site in the West of Scotland which could supply Longannet power station in Fife for at least 80 years.
But it does not want to develop mines if they do not have a long-term future.
Clean coal technology means deep coal, which has a high sulphur content and would normally create too much pollution, can once again be used in Scottish power plants.''
From The Scotsman;
Mr Salmond said: "Coal is king. I have called an old energy technology into existence to redress the balance of nuclear. If you can use clean-coal technology, coal has a dynamic future.
"It means coal, from being environmentally unacceptable, is becoming environmentally attractive. What people forget is that we have roughly 10 per cent of Europe's coal reserves."
With deep-mined coal now close to becoming viable again, Scottish Coal wants to open a new deep-coal mine at Canonbie in Dumfriesshire which is said to have reserves of 400 million tonnes, enough to run Longannet for 80 years.
Dacre Purchase, chief executive of Scottish Coal, said: "They're building a power station every week in China. We're thinking we did a good job building a wind turbine. We're completely missing the point. ''
===========
How refreshing
It's an excellent idea and also proves the ability of our new Executive to think outside the box. Scotland has to become one of Europe's top energy and clear water producers in the coming decades to take advantage of changing conditions and energy use. Any plan that encourages employment in two industrial sectors, mining and energy should be encouraged.
There are seams, closed over 60 years ago in Lanarkshire that can easily be made re-accessable for this purpose and I hope consideration is given to them.
