Archived press release

Open-cast mine for Ballymoney

13 November 2002

Aussies to burn 2,000 acres of Antrim countryside

Friends of the Earth today revealed that Australian mining corporation AuIron, trading as Ballymoney Power [1], is to announce its intention to forge ahead with its plan to mine lignite (brown coal) from an area immediately to the east of Ballymoney and to burn it a 600MW power station. It is understood that the open-cast mine and spoil heaps will cover an area of approximately 2000 acres .

Friends of the Earth is particularly concerned about the heavily polluting nature of lignite - the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of energy produced is nearly twice as much as that of natural gas, for example [2].

Friends of the Earth's Head of Campaigns, John Woods, said:

"It beggars belief that as the effects of climate change become daily more apparent throughout the world, Northern Ireland should countenance the idea of producing energy from the world's most polluting fuel in terms of its greenhouse gas emissions. AuIron/Ballymoney Power should take their proposals back to the the last century where they belong and leave the lignite in the ground where it belongs."

John Woods continued:

"The solution to Northern Ireland's energy needs is clear - it must be clean renewable energy, primarily from the wind. As a society we must unite to encourage the acceptance of wind power, controversial, as it sometimes is, and face down the neanderthals who would have us help destroy the world's climate for the sake of their own profit. To do otherwise is to condemn the earth's poorest and most vulnerable peoples to flood and famine - and ultimately to do the same to ourselves."

AuIron/Ballymoney Power is making this announcement in defiance of the Assembly Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee's strong reservations about the strip-mining of lignite and its use as an energy source [3]. Friends of the Earth believes that this announcement is cynically timed during suspension of the Assembly in order to minimise the Assembly's influence on the planning consents and licensing decisions to come [4].

Notes

[1] (back) Ballymoney Power, c/o Citigate, 157-159 High St, Holywood Tel: (028) 9039 5500

[2] (back) CO2 released from lignite is 360 kg/MWh. CO2 released from natural gas is 200 kg/MWh.

[3] (back) www.ni-assembly.gov.uk/enterprise/reports/report3-01rvol1.htm

[4] (back) The company will require a mining licence from DETI; construction consent from DETI for the power station; planning permission from DOE; emissions consent from DOE; and a generation licence from OFREG.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
7 Donegall Street Place
BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: foe-ni@foe.co.uk.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust