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China ranks first in the world in coal production – more than 3.6 billion metric tons in 2012 – and is also the largest emitter of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, which are projected to exceed 420 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO₂E) by 2020. An overview of China's coal mining history and current methane recovery and use efforts can be found in the Global Methane Initiative Coal Mine Methane Country Profile: China (June 2015) (PDF) (18 pp, 2 MB) Exit.

Resources

Feasibility Studies

EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program has completed several full-scale feasibility studies of CMM recovery and utilization projects at Chinese coal mines. The studies assess the technical and economic viability of implementing methane recovery and utilization projects, with detailed findings and project implementation recommendations compiled in comprehensive final reports.

• Feasibility Study for CMM Drainage and Utilization: Inner Mongolia Tai Xi Group Mines (December 2011)
• Feasibility Study of CMM Utilization for Guizhou Nengfa Power Fuel Development Co., Ltd. Linhua Mine Located in Guizhou Province (December 2010)
  • Maps (December 2010)
  • This document is also available in Chinese (December 2010)
• Feasibility Study for CMM Drainage and Utilization at Liuzhuang Coal Mine, Huainan Coal Field (February 2010)
  • The Executive Summary of this document is available in Chinese (February 2010)
• Feasibility Study for Coal Mine Methane Drainage and Utilization at Hebi No. 6 Coal Mine, Henan Province, China (June 2010)
• Feasibility Study of CMM Utilization for Songzao Coal and Electricity Company Coal Mines (May 2009)
  • This document is also available in Chinese (May 2009)

Pre-Feasibility Studies

• Pre-Feasibility Study for Coal Mine Methane Capture and Utilization at the Mahui and Pingshang Mines (April 2015)
• Pre-feasibility Study for Coal Mine Methane Recovery and Utilization at Mopanshan Mine, Guizhou Province, China (December 2014)
  • This document is also available in Chinese (December 2014)
• Pre-feasibility Study for Fuhong Coal Mine, Guizhou Province (March 2013) (PDF) (31 pp, 30 MB) Exit
  • This document is also available in Chinese (March 2013) (PDF) (26 pp, 4 MB) Exit
• Pre-feasibility Study for Yanjing Coal Mine, Chongqing Municipality (March 2013) (PDF) (27 pp, 32 MB) Exit
  • This document is also available in Chinese (March 2013) (PDF) (22 pp, 3 MB) Exit.
• Pre-feasibility Study for Qinlong Coal Mine, Guizhou Province (December 2011) (PDF) (87 pp, 1 MB) Exit
  • This document is also available in Chinese (December 2011) (PDF) (61 pp, 2 MB) Exit
• Pre-feasibility Study for Zhongling Coal Mine, Guizhou Province (December 2011) (PDF) (97 pp, 2 MB) Exit
  • This document is also available in Chinese (December 2011) (PDF) (70 pp, 2 MB) Exit

Energy Markets in China and the Outlook for CMM Project Development in Anhui, Chongqing, Henan, Inner Mongolia, and Guizhou Provinces (April 2015)

This EPA publication features information resulting from energy market analyses performed during the course of several comprehensive CMM recovery and utilization feasibility studies conducted in China.

• Full Report (April 2015)

Other Resources

• Virginia Tech's Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research Report: A Regional Handbook for Coalbed Methane Degasification in the Southern Shanxi Province, China (August 2011) (PDF) (98 pp, 5 MB) Exit
• Pew Center on Global Climate Change Report: Coal in China: Resources, Uses, and Advanced Coal Technologies (March 2010) (PDF) (31 pp, 960K) Exit
• International Energy Agency (IEA) Information Paper: Coal Mine Methane in China: A Budding Asset with the Potential to Bloom (February 2009) (PDF) (36 pp, 3 MB) Exit
• World Bank Report: A Strategy for Coal Bed Methane (CBM) and Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Development and Utilization in China (January 2007) (PDF) (146 pp, 2 MB) Exit

Organizations

• Pew Center for Global Climate Change Exit
• China Coalbed Methane Clearinghouse Exit – Developed in 1994 by the former State Administration of Coal Industry (SACI) of China, as a part of the China Coal Information Institute (CCII) Exit, and EPA to promote CBM/CMM recovery and use in China.
• Guizhou CMM Reccovery and Use Initiative Exit – Hosted by the Guizhou International Cooperation Center for Environmental Protection, which has conducted an EPA-sponsored project to promote CMM project development in Guizhou Province.

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