China Coal Mining Methane Emissions and Leaks

While China’s policy to reduce coal mining methane (CMM) emissions has primarily benefited the country’s coal industry, the overall trend in methane emissions has not changed. Since 2010, China has increased coal production by more than 3,400 million tons a year, while other industries have contracted. For example, ruminant populations have been relatively stable while rice production increased slightly, from 137,000 tons in 2010/2011 to 140,850 tons in 2016/2017. Meanwhile, beef production has increased slightly – from 130 thousand tonnes to 138 thousand tons last year – while China’s dairy cattle inventory has decreased due to increasing beef imports and declining demand.

The government has also pledged to dramatically cut coal mining and become carbon neutral by 2060, giving mining companies 38 years to recover their investments. As long as the government commits to invest in methane monitoring, reporting, and verification efforts, mining companies will still face a steep uphill challenge to develop low-cost methane mitigation technologies. 

Lack of binding standards

While China is a crucial source of global coal methane emissions, it has not signed the Global Methane Pledge to regulate these leaks and emissions. The country did commit to taking action on methane, but only in a joint declaration. “China’s circumstances make it difficult to sign up to international standards,” said Teng Fei, deputy director of the Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy at Tsinghua University. “We believe that it is why we are not signing up to the Global Methane Pledge. Our emissions are not that large as those of the US and EU.” 

The lack of binding standards is particularly frustrating because many jurisdictions have adopted policies to reduce methane emissions, but they don’t necessarily apply to China’s coal mines. A country like China may have higher methane emissions than it has reported. In addition to these preexisting policies, China has also adopted several new rules, such as mandatory emissions saying.

Costs of projects to reduce emissions

In 2013, China released its national action plan for reducing methane emissions, making the industry a priority for cutting methane emissions. These policies depend on a comprehensive approach and cost-effective mitigation technologies. China is the world’s largest consumer of coal, accounting for 72% of the country’s electricity. This heavy consumption has adverse consequences on China’s air quality. Coal is responsible for nearly 40% of the country’s total exposure to PM2.5 particles, which cause premature death.

Lack of CMM drainage systems

CMM is a hazardous by-product of coal mining. The gas is used for civil, power generation, and heating purposes. However, CMM drainage is inefficient and does not suit the conditions in China’s coal mines. It also poses a threat to mining safety. Underground methane drainage can help minimize the problem and prevent future methane disasters. Moreover, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, over 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Hence, the drainage of coal mine methane can help alleviate global warming.

The feasibility of CMM drainage has been studied in China. The proposed CMM household utilization project mainly utilizes CMM recovered from permanent gas drainage systems. In the case of the Huainan mining area, CMM is mined in the Panji and Xinxie Blocks. The CMM is then supplied to the residents of Huainan City through a pipeline network and gas storage and distribution system. Its service life would be approximately 40 years.

China must focus on climate change mitigation and air pollution to reduce emissions. Increasing recycling and separating organic materials would help the economy create jobs, while capturing landfill gas could displace other fuels and provide new revenue streams. These measures are not without cost, but the upfront capital costs are high. But once implemented, these measures would lead to substantial and positive benefits for the industry and society as a whole.