Coal Gasification

Mr. Mullin
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely contribution of coal gasification to UK energy needs; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Kidney
The Coal Authority has recently granted six conditional licences for underground coal gasification (UCG) and is currently considering a further five applications. However, the technical and economic viability of UCG has not to date been demonstrated in UK conditions and it is, therefore, too early to judge what contribution this fledgling technology might make to future UK energy needs.