Feature: The UK has this year passed two consecutive months, April and May, without using electricity from coal-fuelled plants and instead choosing renewable energy.
LICENCES
However, coal is still needed to manufacture the steel parts for wind turbines and solar panels.
One company, hoping to start the UK’s first deep coal mine in 30 years, says that burning coal to high temperatures is still the only known method to produce high-grade steel.
The UK depends on imports of metallurgical steel from the United States, Australia and Russia but West Cumbrian Mining (WCM) aims to make a small alteration to the trade balance.
The private company, backed by Australian investment company EMR Capital, will focus on producing high-quality metallurgical coal mainly from under the seabed off the coast of Whitehaven, West Cumbria.
WCM holds a series of licences which cover a total area of approximately 200km2 off the coast near Whitehaven.
STEEL
Mining and civil engineer Mark Kirkbride is WCM’s chief executive, and he believes mass manufacture and roll-out of renewable technologies and other low carbon power generation is needed on an unprecedented scale to make the shift from coal-fired power stations.
“Steel is the primary material used in wind turbine manufacture and is made from a number of ingredients, including metallurgical coal.
“Metallurgical coal, also known as coking coal, is used specifically for the manufacture of iron and steel and is a critical raw material with long term global demand.”
The coal is heated in an oven to produce coke which is then fed into a blast furnace with iron ore and limestone to produce molten iron which is used to produce steel in an oxygen furnace.
“Our project in Cumbria is specifically for metallurgical coal.
“Consequently, WCM will be part of the European steel industry supply chain, and therefore part of the future global low carbon transition.”
ECONOMY
WCM also highlights the economic benefits of the mine to the UK’s economy.
The company estimates the mine would contribute £1.8bn to GDP, £2.5bn in exports during the first year, 1.5-2% reduction in the balance of trade deficit and £500m in paid taxes.
The mine’s lifespan is expected to be a minimum 40 years with up to 3.1 million tonnes of coal per year extracted and processed on site.
Coal will then be transported via a buried conveyor 2.2km to a train loading facility for direct transportation by rail to Redcar Bulk Terminal in Teesside for distribution.
“Careful thought and consideration has been taken planning the design element of the surface infrastructure in order to minimise any potential impacts from noise, dust and light pollution,” adds Mr Kirkbride.
“This is very much a 21st century mine.
“WCM’s vision is to become a leading European producer of strategic, high-quality metallurgical coal for steel making.”
In March this year, the Prime Minister launched the Government’s plans for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) which the UK will host in 2021 to move towards reducing carbon emissions.
“This will be a major event and could lead to a new global agreement to speed up carbon emission reductions,” said Mr Kirkbride.
“Importantly, the Prime Minister has given the responsibility for managing and delivering the COP 26 summit to business and industry ministers.
“Without steel there can be no wind farms, solar farms, tidal barrages or the reconfiguration of electricity grids which are necessary for low carbon electricity to be taken up.
“We might, one day, be able to make all the steel needed without coal, but the technology to do this economically everywhere is still generations away.
“The blast furnace process will still constitute at least 60% of all steel production over the next 30 years.”
SUSTAINABILITY
Mr Kirkbride believes that Britain’s last coal-fired power station will be gone within four years.
“That energy industry is now part of Britain’s history and its gradual closure has allowed the UK to cut its carbon emissions by 42% since 1992 – this is one of the most significant carbon reduction programmes of any major industrialised state.
“In contrast, the coal from West Cumbria will supply British and European steelmakers and create hundreds of new skilled jobs in the county and Northern England.
“Our coal will not carry the very large carbon footprint of imported coal [which] represents tens of thousands of miles of transport emissions by train and ship.”
WCM will meet its sustainability targets through major CO2 offsetting to ensure its mine operations and a significant proportion of the end product emissions are all carbon neutral.
“This would result in WCM being a world leader in environmental mitigation for steel-making coal production,” added Mr Kirkbride.