About coal
Coal is an abundant and flexible energy source that remains an important part of the energy mix, both globally and in the UK.
Until the first North Sea gas was brought ashore in 1967, coal was the UK’s chief energy source, used for town gas production and electricity generation as well as by industry, the public sector and individual households.
Coal’s share of total UK energy supply fell from 90% in 1948, to 50% in 1968. Provisional figures for 2009 show this share is now 14.2%. Of the coal used in the UK in 2009, 81.3% was for electricity generation; this contributed 27.7% of all UK electricity supplies. In 2009, 32.9 million tonnes of the coal imported (86.1%) was steam coal, largely for electricity generation – just over half of which came from Russia.
Further data about UK coal supply and utilisation can be found in Energy sector statistics.
DECC responsibilities in relation to coal
Fossil fuels, including coal, will continue to play an important role in the energy mix, both in the UK and internationally. The Carbon Capture and Storage pages of this website set out what DECC is doing to find ways to reduce carbon emissions from this continuing use as part of its climate change agenda.
DECC is responsible for policy and delivery of a number of matters arising from the privatisation of the nationalised coal production industry in 1994. These include:
- sponsorship of the Coal Authority, which is responsible for managing the UK’s remaining coal reserves (including the issue of permits for coal exploitation) and the effects of the legacy of historic mining (such as mine-water and subsidence)
- management of residual rights and obligations arising from the privatisation, including Coal health claims, the issue of the Bevin Boys scheme veteran badges, the supply of concessionary coal to certain ex-British Coal employees, and representing interest as guarantor of the industry's coal pension schemes
In addition, DECC is responsible for policy issues relating to the continuing UK coal industry.