1315 smaller than in 2023 by 7.4 million m3/year (i.e., by 2.6%). Over the last 10 years, the efficiency of methane drainage has remained at a similar level, and in 2024, it was 38.2%. (Table No. 1) Table 1 - Methane content and methane emissions in the Polish hard coal mining industry. Parameter 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Number of mines 30 23 23 21 21 21 20 20 20 19 Methane content Absolute methane content (million m3/year) 933. 0 933. 8 948. 5 916. 1 803. 8 819. 6 815. 3 778. 9 752. 1 722. 1 Ventilatory methane content (million m3/year) 594. 1 591. 7 611. 5 599. 1 502. 2 515. 4 474. 4 475. 4 468. 9 446. 3 Demethane treatment and methane treatment efficiency Demetanization (million m3/year) 339. 0 342. 1 337. 0 317. 0 301. 6 304. 2 340. 9 303. 5 283. 2 275. 8 De-methane efficiency (%) 36.3 36.6 35.5 34.6 37.5 37.1 41.8 39.0 37.7 38.2 Methane management and management efficiency Methane development (million m3/year) 197. 1 195. 0 212. 0 203. 1 189. 4 187. 9 214. 2 206. 1 200. 9 191. 5 Efficiency of methane management (%) 58.1 57.0 62.9 64.1 62.8 62.1 62.8 67.9 70.9 69.4 Methane emissions into the atmosphere from shafts and from methane drainage stations Methane emissions into the atmosphere - total (million m3/year) 735. 9 738. 8 736. 5 712. 9 614. 3 630. 3 601. 1 572. 9 551. 2 530. 6 Methane emissions into the atmosphere - shafts (million m3/year) 594. 1 591. 7 611. 5 599. 1 502. 2 515. 4 474. 4 475. 5 468. 9 446. 3 Methane emissions into the atmosphere - methane drainage stations (million m3/year) 141. 8 147. 1 125. 0 113. 8 112. 1 114. 9 126. 7 97.4 82.3 84.3 Percentage share of methane emissions to the atmosphere from shafts and from methane drainage stations Methane emissions to the atmosphere - glazing (% of total) 80.7 80.1 83.0 84.0 81.7 81.8 78.9 83.0 85.1 84.1 Methane emissions into the atmosphere - methane drainage stations (% of total) 19.3 19.9 17.0 16.0 18.3 18.2 21.1 17.0 14.9 15.9 Over the last decade, methane development has ranged from 187.9 million m3/year (2019) to 212.0 million m3/year (2017), and in 2024 it was 191.5 million m3/year. Methane management efficiency also fluctuated, ranging from 57.0% (2016) to 70.9% (2023), and in 2024 it amounted to 69.4%. The volume of methane emissions into the atmosphere (the sum of emissions from ventilation shafts and methane drainage stations) has shown a downward trend over several years. In 2024, it amounted to 530.6 million m3/year, down 20.6 million m3/year (3.7%) from 2023. Compared to 2016, methane emissions fell into the atmosphere by 208.2 million m3/year (ie by 28.2%). 6.1 Methane emissions from ventilation shafts in hard coal mines Methane emissions from ventilation shafts in hard coal mines correspond quantitatively to ventilation methane (VAM), which is a big problem in Polish hard coal mines in its approach due to low concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.75% (0.75% is the upper limit of methane concentration in ventilation shafts specified in Polish mining regulations on the safety of mine operations). Over the last decade, its share of total methane emissions from mines into the atmosphere has exceeded 80%, reaching 84.1% in 2024. According to data reported to the State Mining Authority by Polish hard coal producers, methane emissions in 2024 were carried out of 47 ventilation shafts, totalling 308,118 tons. The emission value consists of methane emissions from the highly methane mines of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa SA (157,263 tons, i.e.
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