Energy
Coal
The Douglas Estate sits on the southern edge of the Lanarkshire coal field and during the late 19th and mid 20th Centuries, Douglas grew from being a rural Estate village (largely supported by farming and forestry, then weaving) to a thriving mining community.
Mining brought with it new jobs, new housing, and prosperity; but in the 1960s, the industry (nationalised in 1947) was in decline resulting in economic difficulties for all the villages in the coal field – two of which (Douglas West and Douglas Water) have now virtually disappeared.
In a largely rural area there was little help from the Government to try to address the problems that the demise of the coal industry created and the community was largely left to fend for itself.
In 1996, British Coal was privatised allowing landowners to look at the opportunities that coal may be bring in an increasingly energy deficient world.
Coal “is where it is” and if it is going to be mined, it has to be done in those places – Douglas still has coal and in 2002, work commenced on the Glentaggart mine at Glespin, from where coal is transported, via the longest coal conveyor in Europe, to the highway, avoiding any need for the coal, lorries, or its associated traffic to go through the village of Douglas
In recent years, there has been debate about the rights and wrongs of coal production, but Glentaggart has provided jobs, cash for the local area, and much needed power for the UK economy – without coal, the United Kingdom would have a significant energy deficit.
The Glentaggart mine will close in 2011 having reached the end of its working life and the site, which is in the process of being restored to productive farmland, will again be farmed by the Shanks Family who have occupied the land for the last three generations.
Subsequently, a second mine commenced production at Mainshill, Douglas, in 2010, which will be restored to farmland and deciduous woodland on the cessation of mining in 2012.
Whilst there is a need, and mining can operate without permanent damage to either the land or the ecology of the valley and continues to provide employment, the Estate will be sympathetic towards future mining operations in the area.
However, reliance on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels is not sustainable in the long term – each being a finite resource. So, in order to try and reduce the “energy gap” and source other sustainable fuels, the Estate is also actively investigating other green technologies – wind, hydro, and biomass.
Wind Power
The Douglas Estate comprises significant areas of unpopulated moorland of between 700 and 1,000 feet above sea level – as such, there are a number of potential Wind Farm sites, which are actively being investigated with four separate operators at Kinnoxhead and Andershaw.
Biomass
In 2009/10, the Estate invested in two district heating schemes, to supply heat and hot water to 17 properties previously served by conventional oil fired or electric heating and hot water systems.
Biomass technology is particularly suitable for heating older properties of traditional construction and where there is a local wood source available, as a result, schemes have been established to service 13 properties at Newmains, Douglas, and 4 properties at Mountherrick, Crawfordjohn.
It is hoped that similar schemes might be appropriate for consideration elsewhere, at both Douglas and at the Hirsel.
If you would like more information about the Estate’s energy initiatives, are interested in purchasing wood chip, or would simply like to see the district heating systems in operation, please contact Grant Conchie at the Douglas Estate Office (01555 851536) or by email to grant.conchie@daestates.co.uk