A MAJOR step may be about to be taken towards tapping into a source of renewable energy deep below Warrington.
Planning chiefs are being recommended to approve the installation of plant for the future generation of electricity to extract coal bed methane from beneath land off Farnworth Road, Penketh.
The application by global energy giant Nexen involves installing a single generator set, ancillary control equipment and sub-station building.
Coal bed methane (CBM) is extracted from unworked coal seams. Unlike methane obtained from abandoned or working coal mines, it is pure
enough to be piped directly into the Transco underground pipeline system or to a high energy user.
If the amount of CBM obtainable from the site proves viable, the generator would then be removed.
A report to Warrington’s development control committee says that at first, the operation will be similar to those used to generate electricity from landfill gas.
The generator will run 24 hours, seven days a week. The
height of the generator, including the exhaust stack will be 6.7 metres.
Planners say the development would cause no significant harm to the
appearance and character of the surrounding area, which is already screened by mounding and landscaping.
It would have no unacceptable impact on nearby residents through noise, disturbance, pollution, visual intrusion or traffic, although there may be some disturbance during construction.
The use of CBM will benefit the local economy in terms of local contractors, the gas or electricity could be utilised locally by a high energy user and the use of CBM will contribute to national energy requirements.
Planning approval was given eight years ago for exploratory drilling and this was renewed in 2005.
Residents of Farnworth Road have raised a number of concerns about noise, site security, gas plume, carbon emissions, height of plant, emergency measures, traffic, etc.
But planning officers say there will be no significant impact on the area and the site can be used to produce electricity on a commercial basis.
In the long term, it may be possible to export gas directly from the site instead of exporting electricity. But at this stage, it is not possible to make accurate precitions.
3 Comments
To label this as a renewable energy project is completely incorrect and misleading. Coal bed methane is a fossil fuel – just like coal, oil or natural gas – and the amount of it available is limited. It it therefore definitely not “renewable”.
Like any other fossil fuel, coal bed methane produces CO2 when it is used to generate electricity and so this scheme will only further contribute to our climate change problems.
I thought journalists were supposed to be clued up before they get their stories published.
No – in a straight news report journalists are supposed to report the facts as presented.
In this case, council officers claimed this was “renewable energy” so that is what we reported. Subsequently, officers have admitted they were wrong and this has also been reported.