1316 51.0%), Polska Grupa Górnicza SA (115,445 tonnes, i.e. 37.5%), Południowy Koncern Węglowy SA (26,519 tonnes, i.e. 8.6%) and PG „Silesia” Sp. z o. o. (8,891 tonnes, i.e. 2.9%) 6.2 Methane emissions from methane drainage stations Polish regulations on occupational safety in mining require that, in mining plants operating seams classified as methane hazard category IV, methane drainage rock mass be used. Currently, all heavily methane-mine sites are equipped with active methane drainage systems, and methane is discharged to 18 drainage stations. The total amount of methane drainage in 2024, amounting to 275.82 million m3/year consists of methane drainage from production excavations 178.88 million m3/year (64.85%), methane drainage from goaf 93.69 million m3/year (33.97%) and methane drainage from corridor workings 3.25 million m3/year (1.18%). In 2024, methane emissions from methane drainage stations amounted to 84.3 million m3/year. Compared to 2023, it increased by 2.0 million m3/year (ie by 2.4%) and decreased by 62.8 million m3 compared to 2016/year (ie by 42.7%). Its share of total methane emissions from mines into the atmosphere in 2024 was 15.9%, up 1 percentage point from 2023. At methane drainage stations in coal mines, gas is not burned in a flare or other combustion device. Therefore, the obligation imposed from 1 January 2025 on operators of methane drainage stations, notification to the competent authority only applies to events related to the release of methane into the atmosphere caused by an emergency, malfunction or unavoidable due to maintenance of the methane drainage system. Table 2 - Methane emissions from methane drainage stations in active underground coal mines - 2024. Operator Name Number of methane drainage stations [ pieces] Amount of methane Use of captured methane [ % ] sent by the mine's methane drainage system [ thousand Mg] freed to the atmospher e [ thousand Mg ] Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa SA 7 104,048 38,585 62.92 Polish Mining Group SA 9 57,242 15,365 73.16 Southern Coal Concern SA 1 26,281 0.433 98.35 Mining Company ”SILESIA” Sp. z o. o. 1 10,157 1,041 89.75 SUM / MEAN 18 197,728 55,424 81.05 According to data reported to the competent authority, the total amount of methane released from the methane drainage station in 2024 was 55,424 tons, with an average utilisation rate of captured methane of 81.05%. The lowest efficiency in using captured methane, at 62.92%, is reported by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa SA, but it captures by far the largest amount of methane via the methane drainage system. In turn, the highest effectiveness, 98.35%, is achieved by Southern Coal Concern SA (KWK „Brzeszcze”), due to over 90% of the methane captured by methane drainage being collected by an external company. (Table No. 2) 6.3 Methane emission factor In accordance with the provisions of Article 22 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 as of 1 January 2027. as regards the obligation to apply measures to limit methane emissions, a ban on the release of methane to the atmosphere from ventilation shafts in coal mines emitting more than 5 tons of methane per 1000 tonnes of coal extracted, other than coking coal mines, which is to be limited to 3 tonnes of methane per 1000 tonnes of coal extracted on 1 January 2031. However, and very importantly, the above prohibitions do not apply to emergency situations, and any measures taken to limit methane emissions must not compromise workers' safety. The Regulation further specifies that these thresholds apply annually per mine and per operator if a single entity operates multiple coal mines. In the case of Polish coal mining, the above restrictions apply only to operators such as Polska Grupa Górnicza SA and Południowy Koncern Węglowy SA and ZG „Silesia” Sp. z o. o., as the mines of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa SA belong to the group of coking coal mines.
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