Coal Mining Returns to UK
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 03.29.07
South Wales is seeing a resurgence in deep coal mining. A mine in Cwmgwrach is taking on 60 workers, and a nearby mine at Aberpergwm will soon be ready to take on 200 more. These mines, and others like them, are restarting production following an almost total slump since the 1970's.
Mine chairman, Gerwyn Williams, says; "In seven or eight years a lot of things have changed. The price of coal has gone up and Europe is faced with an energy gap. We don't think that renewables are going to meet the gap that we've got, so everybody will come back to coal."
Increasing demand for power, and new applications for coal are increasing demand, but it does feel like a step backward. Those Welsh hills would be a lovely spot for a nice wind farm.
See also: ::Tim Flannery on Coal, ::Book Review: Big Coal - The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future
Lets be realistic. Coal will generate far more power then a large wind farm could, even on a windy day. You only give ammo to the anti-greens "your all dreamers" by even joking the two can be compared. Coal can be used cleanly, and the mining will have less of a visual impact then covering the hills with wind farms.