Prevent a new coal mine being built in Cumbria

[GFFord]

Prevent a coal mine being built in Cumbria, the first coal mine to be built for decades:

act.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/stop-plans-coal-mine-cumbria

I thought we needed coking coal to make steel for wind turbines? Better than adding the carbon miles of shipping the coal from the other side of the world.

we might need it. This is about fuel security

Nothing secure about climate change !

It's not being built for fuel security.

It's for coke in virgin steel making. Carbon is essential in the steel making process (steel is iron + carbon + other additions to get different properties). At present the coke for our steel making is mostly imported from Canada, which is obviously massively less green than having a domestic supply.

The UK is still on track to close down all coal fired power stations in the UK by October 2024.

We do need to retain a domestic steel supply too btw. It's the basis for all infrastructure in pretty much everything. We would be the only developed nation without a domestic steel supply if we let it go, and completely at the mercy of China. We're all seeing how well that's going at the moment for gas with Russia.

Oh, and the steel industry will need to be decarbonised as part of meeting net zero 2050 (coke as an ingredient is essential and not part of decarbonisation as the carbon is retained in the steel, so not polluting). This probably mean using hydrogen as fuel for blast furnaces etc rather than natural gas. (Menntioned before some suggests shutting down steel to be green)

"We would be the only developed nation without a domestic steel supply if we let it go, and completely at the mercy of China."

what is the difference between what you've said and fuel security? it's about ensuring we have our own fuel onshore.

I won't put the roll eyes icon as i swore i'd never do it, but I really want to.

Don’t be ridiculous op it’s a good thing!

Ha, I live in West Cumbria. The idea is very popular here. People want jobs.

So FoE know it's for coking coal for steel...but evidently don't understand what that actually means?
Do you understand what it means, OP?

This BBC summary suggests that it's less obviously positive than the majority of posters would suggest.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-56023895

Same as HelloThereObiWan I thought about jobs

Not sure life is as simplistic as that OP

hot take

Why would you roll your eyes at me? It's a topic I know a bit about and thought it would be useful to share with those who are interested. Especially as the OP was very vague.

Domestic steel supply security is not the same as fuel security. Both have serious negative effects, but not the same effects on the same timeline. I'm happy to go into more detail if you like, but would rather not encourage another snippy response!

I do too, same here

You were rude and refuted my point with the same point explained at length.

You can't have steel security without fuel security