HC Deb 17 May 1928 vol 217 c1233W
Mr. OLIVER

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of different processes or systems for the low-temperature carbonisation of coal in this country, and the present output and potential capacity of such plant?

Commodore KING

There are at least 11 different systems of low-temperature carbonisation represented in this country by plants, either in existence or stated to be in course of erection, with a capacity of from 10 to 250 tons a day. No definite information is available as to the present output or the potential capacity, but the total capacity of such plants now in working order is probably less than 1,000 tons a day. There are some half-dozen other systems in the experimental stage; dealing with from one to 10 tons a day, and many others existing on paper or on a laboratory scale. I understand that the total number of processes for the low-temperature carbonisation of coal which have been proposed exceeds 200.