Romania is the second largest emitter of methane in the European Union, being responsible for 85% of the methane emitted by abandoned coal mines in the EU. If only half of this was captured and used, it might generate 75 million euros of electricity and enough waste heat to heat almost 19,000 hospital beds per year, according to an analysis carried out by the think tank in the field of Ember energy, cited by the 2Celsius Association.
Miner in a coal mineFoto: Roger Tiley / Alamy / Profimedia Images
Against this background, the authors of the report point out that two major loopholes in the European Union (EU) Methane Regulation would allow coal mines to produce 2.2 million tonnes of additional methane emissions by 2050, the equivalent of the combined annual CO2 emissions of Belgium and the Czech Republic, writes Agerpres.
According to the document, Poland is currently the main responsible at European level and is attributed to two-thirds of the total methane emissions from coal mines in the EU in 2020. In this sense, 12 of the underground coal mines in the country are responsible for the majority of these methane emissions (87%), and seven of these mines produce thermal coal and might be closed as a priority and replaced with other reserves with a lower methane content, according to Ember’s analysis.
Romania is the second largest emitter of methane in the EU
Reported at the present time, Romania is the second largest emitter of methane in the EU, being responsible for 85% of the methane emitted by abandoned coal mines in the EU, according to Agerpres.
Thus, the amount of methane emissions from abandoned mines exceeds the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide produced by the energy industry in one year, if the heating potential of methane over 20 years (X80 CO2e) is taken into account, notes the quoted source.
- “The EU regulation aims to limit the amount of fugitive methane emissions that coal mines are allowed to release, rather than capturing and neutralizing or using it.
- At the end of this month, the committees of the European Parliament will vote on the last amendments.
- A recent amendment increases the venting threshold for coal mines from 0.5 to 5 tons of methane per kiloton of coal until 2031, following which the threshold will be reduced to 3 tons. In addition, the methane regulation does not apply a ventilation threshold for coking coal used in steel production,” the expert analysis states.
Research by Ember shows that the latest revisions to the EU Regulation will reduce methane emissions from coal mines by just 47%, well below the stated target of a 58% reduction in methane emissions.
- “This means an additional 2.2 million tonnes of methane by 2050, equivalent to an additional 180 million tonnes of CO2, more than the annual CO2 emissions of Belgium and the Czech Republic combined,” the experts’ calculations show.
If only half of these emissions were captured and used, it would be enough to heat almost 19,000 hospital beds
In the case of Romania, experts estimate that if only half of these emissions were captured and used, 75 million euros of electricity might be generated, as well as enough residual heat to heat almost 19,000 hospital beds/year .
- “Regulation on the reduction of methane emissions from the energy sector is one of the most cost-effective and technically efficient ways to reduce emissions of such a powerful greenhouse gas as methane. Actually we have no excuse.
- If we fail to reduce the emissions within our reach, we risk derailing the process towards reaching climate neutrality in 2050. That means we are heading for a world where the impacts of climate change will be devastating, a world we can already glimpse in droughts historical event that hit Europe in 2022,” said Mihai Stoica, executive director of the 2Celsius Association.
The cited report reveals that coal mines represent the largest source of methane in the EU in the energy sector. In this context, underground (coal) mines emit six times more methane than surface (lignite) mines, and in 2020 they were responsible for 59% of methane emissions from coal mines in the EU.
- “The proper closure of coal mines is an action that Romania must undertake responsibly, to avoid accidents and prevent pollution.
- For example, the Lonea and Lupeni mines in Valea Jiului have been in the process of closure since 2018 and have benefited from state aid for making them safe.
- However, they are not closed even today, the deadline being extended by several government decisions. The last date submitted is 2026 according to the decarbonisation law. This together with the methane regulation offers an opportunity for Romania to green the mines in a profitable way”, says Alexandra Doroftei, coordinator of the Bankwatch Romania campaign.
As recommendations, the Ember analysis highlights that coal mine venting thresholds should not exceed 3 tons of methane per kiloton of coal mined starting in 2027, then be reduced to one ton of methane per kiloton of coal mined by 2030. Also , for coking coal mines, the authors of the report recommend that the Regulation apply a ventilation threshold of a maximum of 5 tonnes of methane per kiloton of coal starting in 2027. “Such a scenario would put the EU on track to achieve its target reduction of emissions by 58%”, the specialists emphasize.
Ember is an independent, not-for-profit climate and energy think tank that produces cutting-edge research and high-impact, politically viable policy proposals aimed at accelerating the global transition from to coal to clean electricity.
Bankwatch Romania is an association established in 2012, whose purpose is to prevent the negative environmental and social impact of public and private projects and to promote sustainable alternatives and public participation in decision-making. The main field of activity of the association is the reduction of pollution in the energy sector, with an emphasis on reducing the use of fossil fuels.
2Celsius is a non-governmental organization with an environmental profile, established in 2010. Currently, the association is a member of the largest European environmental networks, including Transport&Environment, European Environmental Bureau and CAN Europe.