HC Deb 05 May 1975 vol 891 cc299-301W
Mr. Kinnock

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the development of coal gasification techniques in Great Britain and other member countries of the EEC.

Mr. John Smith

The development of coal gasification techniques in the EEC is confined to the United Kingdom and the Federal republic of Germany. In the United Kingdom the British Gas Corporation at its Westfield Development Centre

Mr. John Smith

Figures on coal and natural gas production in the countries of the EEC member are published by the Statistical office of the European Communities in the "Energy Statistics Year Book". The corresponding percentage shares of each current member country in total production of each fuel are given below:

is developing a high capacity coal gasifier in which the ash will be removed as liquid slag. At BCURA Ltd., Leather-head, the novel COGAS gasification process is being developed to the pilot scale. Both projects are the result of contracts from American consortia. In West Germany, where the natural gas reserves are limited, the development of coal gasification processes is regarded with some urgency. Developments include an enlarged version of the conventional Lurgi gasifier and, for the longer term, the application of nuclear heat to coal gasification.