Environmental impact of coal utilisation in the UK and measures to mitigate greenhouse effects
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Date
2009
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Abstract
Coal was the principal source of primary energy in the UK from the era of the industrial revolution to the late 1970s. Competition from indigenously produced oil and natural gas, and cheaper imported steam coal resulted in the decline in coal production in the UK. Consequently, some deep mines became uneconomical for a variety of reasons, such as long underground haul distances, geological difficulties, exhaustion of lease reserves and company's failure to invest capital in new coal producing units. This paper presents the environmental impacts of coal mining, processing and electricity generation together with the application of clean coal technologies to mitigate the greenhouse effects on the environment. The paper concludes that indigenous coal still makes an important contribution to electricity generation by reducing the adverse effects on the balance of payment and provides continuity of supply of energy in the UK.
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Keywords
Carbon dioxide , Coal , Coal industry , Coal mines , Environmental impact , Greenhouse effect , Greenhouses , Mining , Reserves to production ratio , Adverse effect , Clean coal technologies , Coal mining , Coal production , Continuity of supply , Deep mines , Electricity generation , Haul distance , Industrial revolutions , Primary energies , Steam coal , Electric generators