161 (SMR) is the most common and cheapest method of hydrogen production, but it is not environmentally friendly as it also generates CO₂. The project involves the use of CO₂ as an inert gas. Carbon dioxide plays a key role in preventing endogenous fires in coal mines by creating an inert environment and reducing the risk of coal self-ignition. The planned hydrogen production is approximately 700 tons per year. In the face of the crisis in the coal mining industry in Europe, the unusual combination of the development of underground technologies—directional drilling—and an innovative solution—the production of hydrogen from mine gas—is a way to show that hard coal mines can operate in the era of decarbonisation. 6. SUMMARY Except European Union, hard coal mining continues to grow. At the same time, global awareness of environmental protection and climate change is increasing. Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa, operating in Poland, which is a member of the European Union, is required to comply with EU regulations. In 2022, the Company adopted and is implementing a Business Strategy showing that there is room for coal production and sustainable development. The projects implemented by the Company combine improved safety, reduced methane emissions, and the economic use of methane. All of them are economically justified. At the same time, the solutions implemented in the presented projects can be successfully implemented in hard coal mines not only in Europe but also around the world. That is why these projects have gained recognition and received funding from the European Union, whose policy on reducing anthropogenic methane emissions is breaking new ground. The best example is the repeatedly cited Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector, known as the “Methane Regulation.”
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