In an effort to capitalize on its coal reserves, the Hungarian government signed a contract with Wildhorse Energy, a company that develops underground coal gasification (UCG) and uranium projects in the CEE region. The aim of the agreement is to develop more UCG projects in Hungary. The government has always emphasized the importance of energy independence and sees many UCG opportunities within the country. UCG is a relatively new technology. It uses recognised gasification technology below the earth’s surface to produce syngas. It transfers unwanted and uneconomic coal fields into highly valuable gas assets. In a joint statement, Wildhorse Energy and the government agreed that “UCG is an emerging, unconventional gas technology with the potential to establish itself as an important technology in Europe.”
