The Scottish Government has imposed a moratorium on planning applications for underground coal gas developments – additional to the current moratorium on onshare shale gas exploration.
The detailed two-year timescale for its evidence gathering and public consultation process on shale gas. This will now conclude in June 2017.
While powers to award onshore unconventional licences are being devolved to Scottish Ministers, powers to award operators exclusive rights to exploit coal resources for UCG rest with the UK Government/Coal Authority and there are no live proposals to devolve these to Scotland.
As a result, the moratorium on coal-gas will be implemented at local council level.
.See also:
http://www.scottishenergynews.com/shale-gas-moratorium-widened-to-include-coal-gas-as-scottish-energy-minister-delays-yes-no-decision-for-two-years-until-after-next-holyrood-election/
| Summary of work and timetable | |
| Task | Date |
| Evidence-gathering | |
| Public Health Impact Assessment (Health Protection Scotland) | Autumn 2015 – Summer 2016 |
| – Stakeholder workshops | Autumn/Winter 2015 |
| – Peer review | Spring/Summer 2016 |
| – Publish Final Report | Summer 2016 |
| Research project 1 – Transport impacts | Autumn 2015 – Summer 2016 |
| – Open and competitive tender | Autumn/Winter 2015 |
| – Appoint contractor | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Stakeholder workshops | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Publish Final Report | Summer 2016 |
| Research project 2 – Decommissioning and aftercare | Autumn 2015 – Summer 2016 |
| – Open and competitive tender | Autumn/Winter 2015 |
| – Appoint contractor | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Stakeholder workshops | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Publish Final Report | Summer 2016 |
| Research project 3 – Seismic activity and monitoring | Autumn 2015 – Summer 2016 |
| – Open and competitive tender | Autumn/Winter 2015 |
| – Appoint contractor | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Stakeholder workshops | Winter 2015/16 |
| – Publish Final Report | Summer 2016 |
| Research project 4 – Economic Impacts | Winter 2015/16 – Summer 2016 |
| Research Project 5 – Climate Change Impacts | Winter 2015/16 – Summer 2016 |
| Regulation and Planning | |
| Workshops and Engagement | Winter 2015/16 – Summer 2016 |
| Report on Findings | Autumn 2016 |
| Consultation | |
| Pre-consultation engagement (including stakeholder forums, and public engagement) | Winter 2015/16 – Autumn 2016 |
| 4 month Public Consultation | Winter 2016/17 |
| Consultation Analysis | Spring 2017 |
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy