{"id":365,"date":"2014-09-13T10:28:50","date_gmt":"2014-09-13T08:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euracoal.wordpress.com\/?page_id=365"},"modified":"2014-09-13T10:28:50","modified_gmt":"2014-09-13T08:28:50","slug":"united-kingdom","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/?page_id=365","title":{"rendered":"United Kingdom"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"united_kingdom_round_icon_640\"The United Kingdom is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe, third only to Germany and France. \u00a0It is by far the largest oil producer in the EU, accounting for half of all oil production, and is also a significant producer of natural gas.\u00a0 As such, the country\u2019s energy import dependence of 45.5% is below the EU average.<\/p>\n

\n

\"uk\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

General data<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Population<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

million<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

64.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

GDP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u20ac\u00a0billion<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a02\u00a0577.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The UK has identified hard coal resources of 3\u00a0560\u00a0million tonnes, although total resources could be as large as 187\u00a0billion tonnes.\u00a0 About 80\u00a0million tonnes of the economically recoverable reserves are available in shallow deposits capable of being extracted by surface mining.\u00a0 There are also about 1\u00a0000\u00a0million tonnes of lignite resources, mainly in Northern Ireland, although no lignite is mined at present.<\/p>\n

In 2015, UK primary energy production was 168.1\u00a0Mtce, with coal accounting for just 7.1\u00a0Mtce (4.2%).\u00a0 Total primary energy consumption was 257.2\u00a0Mtce, with oil (33.3%) and natural gas (34.1%) having the largest shares, followed by coal (13.3%) and nuclear (10.2%).\u00a0 Biofuels and waste accounted for 5.5%, while hydro, wind and solar totalled 2.6%.<\/p>\n

After spending most of the previous twenty-five years as a net exporter of energy, the UK became a net importer in 2004.\u00a0 The gap between imports and exports has since increased and in 2011 imports of energy outstripped indigenous production for the first time.\u00a0 This trend looks set to continue as North Sea oil and gas reserves deplete.\u00a0 In 2014, the UK became a net importer of petroleum products for the first time.<\/p>\n

Power generation in the UK reflects a diverse energy mix.\u00a0 In 2015, gross power supply was 337.7\u00a0TWh, dominated by gas (29.5%), coal (22.8%) and nuclear power (20.8%), coal having lost the number one position in 2015.\u00a0 Wind and solar contributed with 14.2%, biofuels and waste 9.5%, hydropower 2.6% and oil 0.5%.<\/p>\n

All the coal-fired capacity that had opted out of the EU Large Combustion Plants Directive had been closed by the end of 2014.\u00a0 Two UK generators have been granted state support through feed-in tariffs to enable biomass conversions of their power stations at Lynemouth and three units at Drax.<\/p>\n

Coal-fired electricity generation decreased significantly in 2016 because of the UK carbon tax:\u00a0 4.8\u00a0GW of capacity was closed (2.4\u00a0GW Longannet, 1.0\u00a0GW Ferrybridge and 1.0\u00a0GW Rugeley).\u00a0 The remaining coal-fired power plants in the UK are RWE Aberthaw\u00a0B, EDF Cottam, Drax, Eggborough, SSE Fiddlers Ferry, AES Kilroot, UNIPER Ratcliffe, SIMEC Uskmouth and EDF West Burton\u00a0A.<\/p>\n

The UK power generation sector has little new capacity under construction or planned.\u00a0 Even the proposed nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point\u00a0C has stalled because of technical issues associated with the supply of the reactor pressure vessel and commercial issues with the finance agreements to fund the project.<\/p>\n

The UK\u2019s carbon price support mechanism placed an additional levy on coal-fired generation from April 2013.\u00a0 It increased in April 2014 to \u00a39.55 per tonne of CO2<\/sub> emitted and to \u00a318.08 per tonne in April 2015.\u00a0 The levy is frozen at this level until 2020, but its trajectory thereafter is uncertain.\u00a0 It adds a tax of around \u00a342 per tonne of coal to the cost of coal-fired generation, in addition to the c.<\/i>\u20ac6\/tCO2<\/sub> added by the EU emissions trading system (c.<\/i>\u00a310 per tonne of coal).<\/p>\n

A capacity market auction which was designed to give guaranteed capacity for the winter of 2018\/19 was held at the end of 2014.\u00a0 The clearing price was lower than analysts had predicted, with little appetite to build the new gas-fired plants desired by government.<\/p>\n

Hard coal<\/b><\/p>\n

The UK\u2019s remaining surface coal mines are mainly located in central and northern England, South Wales and central and southern Scotland.\u00a0 In 2015, all UK deep coal mining ended:\u00a0 Thoresby and Hatfield collieries closed early in 2015 and Kellingley colliery in December, with thousands of job losses.<\/p>\n

In 2015, hard coal supply totalled 34.0\u00a0million tonnes, with 8.5\u00a0million tonnes of indigenous production and 25.5\u00a0million tonnes of imports.\u00a0 Coal imports decreased by a massive 14.1\u00a0million tonnes (\u201137.1%); \u00a0Russia, Colombia and the United States are the main sources, accounting for almost 90% of all imports.\u00a0 Indigenous production was split between deep mines with 2.8\u00a0million tonnes and surface mines with 5.8\u00a0million tonnes.\u00a0 There was a significant stock decrease of 4.1\u00a0million tonnes as electricity generators used stocks built up in anticipation of the April 2015 increase in the carbon price support tax.\u00a0 The UK exported just less than 0.4\u00a0million tonnes of hard coal in 2015.<\/p>\n

Coal consumption in 2015 was 38.0\u00a0million tonnes (34.3\u00a0Mtce), of which 29.2\u00a0million tonnes were used for electricity generation, with the iron and steel industry being another large consumer.\u00a0 The residential heating market is now less than 0.5\u00a0million tonnes per year.<\/p>\n

Imports supplied virtually the whole of the coking coal market, as the UK no longer produces significant quantities of coal suitable for use in coke ovens.\u00a0 Nevertheless, UK steelmakers use locally produced coal for pulverised coal injection (PCI) at their blast furnaces.<\/p>\n

As the size of the UK coal market fluctuates markedly, depending on the relative pricing of international coal and natural gas, along with carbon allowance prices and taxes, coal imports are expected to remain a swing component of energy supply.<\/p>\n

The UK government is hostile towards coal: \u00a0on 18\u00a0November 2015, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change proposed a public consultation on the closure of all coal-fired power plants without CCS by 2025, which raises questions on whether UK electricity supply is market-driven or politically driven.\u00a0 A few days after this announcement, the UK government cancelled its \u00a31\u00a0billion support for the flagship White Rose CCS project.<\/p>\n

Low international coal prices, rising domestic production costs and a national energy policy that encourages fuel switching away from coal to natural gas have put pressure on all UK coal producers.\u00a0 Several companies have been forced either to financially restructure or go into administration.\u00a0 Meanwhile, UK producers are reluctant to invest in long-term production capacity under current policies.<\/p>\n

Important surface mine coal producers include CELTIC ENERGY, H\u00a0J\u00a0BANKS, KIER MINING, MILLER-ARGENT and UKCSMR.\u00a0 There are five licenced deep mines with insignificant or no coal production.\u00a0 The industry\u2019s sole trade association is the Association of UK Coal Importers and Producers (CoalImP).\u00a0 Total direct employment in the coal mining sector at the end of 2015 was 1\u00a0975 (477 at deep mines and 1\u00a0498 at surface mines).<\/p>\n

United Kingdom<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Coal resources and reserves<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total resources hard coal<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3\u00a0560<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total resources lignite<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1\u00a0000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Reserves hard coal<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

277<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Primary energy production<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total primary energy production<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mtce<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

168.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal (saleable output)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt \/ Mtce<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8.5 \/ 7.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Saleable coal quality<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal net calorific value<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

kJ\/kg<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22\u00a0000\u201127\u00a0000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal ash content<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

% a.r.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

14.0\u201118.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal moisture content<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

% a.r.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10.0\u201112.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal sulphur content<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

% a.r.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

0.8\u20112.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Coal imports \/ exports<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal imports<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

25.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal exports<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mt<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

0.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Primary energy consumption<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total primary energy consumption<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mtce<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

257.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal consumption<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Mtce<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

34.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Power supply<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total gross power generation<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

TWh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

337.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Net power imports (exports)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

TWh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

20.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Total power consumption<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

TWh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

358.6<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Power generation from hard coal<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

TWh<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

76.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Hard coal power generation capacity<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

MW<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19\u00a0300<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Employment<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2015<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Direct in hard coal mining<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

thousand<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1.975<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United Kingdom is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe, third only to Germany and France. \u00a0It is by far the largest oil producer in the EU, accounting for half of all oil production, and is also a significant producer of natural gas.\u00a0 As such, the country\u2019s energy import dependence of 45.5% is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":776,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-365","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/365\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pipe.euracoal.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}