Warwickshire coal seams could be set on fire to create energy

[dutchman]

North Warwickshire councillors say a lesson should be learnt from the Daw Mill Colliery fire

An "experimental" process where coal seams are set on fire to generate energy could be given the go ahead in Warwickshire.

The scheme would see gas captured as coal seams burn which would then be used to generate energy.

But as a consultation came to an end, councillors in North Warwickshire said lessons should be learnt from the Daw Mill Colliery fire.

The pit, the last to close in the Midlands, was shut down in 2013 following a massive blaze undeground.

Part of the Warwickshire Minerals Plan involved a six-week consultation on underground coal gasification which ended on Tuesday.

The plan will identify where new mineral sites should be located over the next 15 years.

That included underground coal gasification which was approved by the county council's cabinet last and full council in July last year.

At this week's planning and development board meeting of North Warwickshire Borough Council, officer Mike Dittman explained the process.

He told councillors: "They deliberately set fire to the coal seams underground which generates gas which is used for energy purposes."

A number of councillors spoke against such a scheme in an area that was left reeling from a fire at Daw Mill Colliery - the largest coal producer in the UK - which resulted in the pit's closure in 2013.

Cllr Dave Parsons (Lab Polesworth East) said: "This is a very unproved method and I believe there are very real safety concerns that should be considered."

Cllr Colin Hayfield (Con Coleshill South) added: "Daw Mill gave us the experience. That caught fire and how long were they trying to put out for - it may still be burning now!"

[rebbonk]

Sounds rather irresponsible to me. - Not that the powers that be will care what I think!