Scotsman: Cluff heralds new North Sea offshore coal project
A COMPANY hoping to revolutionise Britain’s energy provision by tapping into coal supplies under the sea bed will apply for planning permission within months to build a demonstrator project on the Firth of Forth.
Cluff Natural Resources, led by North Sea veteran Algy Cluff, specialises in a system known as underground coal gasification (UCG), which it says could eventually replace conventional gas and give the North Sea energy industry a new lease of life. If the application succeeds, the £15 million project will be the first time UCG has been attempted off-shore, and could pave the way for a much larger investment.
Cluff said UCG, which involves partially burning large seams of coal underground to produce a mixture known as syngas, could bring much-needed energy security to the UK as gas from conventional sources dwindles.