92001E2134

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2134/01

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(17 July 2001)

Subject: Coal mine methane

A large number of small former mining sites emit methane into the atmosphere. The coal mine methane industry taps CMM from disused mines to use it to generate electricity.

The UK Government refused to include CMM in the renewables obligation introduced under the Utilities Act 2000. The German Parliament, however, has included CMM in its Renewables Sources Act 2000. As a result, in Germany, a 5p/kWh incentive is given to mine gas and it is reported that more than 80 planning applications have already been made for CMM power plants on abandoned sites.

What measures does the EU intend to take to support the use of CMM?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

The final report of the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) (available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/eccp.htm) organised by the Commission recognised that recovery of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from disused coal mines contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, while methane recovered from landfill sites can be regarded as renewable, this can hardly be considered to be the case for methane derived from coal

in either abandoned or operating mines, as coal has a renewable period of several hundred million years. The upcoming Directive on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources(1) reflects this position. Its definition of renewable energy sources in Article 2 (a) includes landfill gas but not coal mine methane. It should be noted that the Parliament, with the support of the Commission, reached an agreement with the Council on this Directive during its second reading on 3/4 July 2001.

Methane recovery can clearly be a profitable economic activity with environmental benefits (as shown, for example, by the activities of the British Association of Coal Mine Methane Operators). Member States may find that it is desirable to support or not to support methane recovery, depending on their particular national circumstances. The Commission considers that national measures are desirable, in particular on environmental grounds and should be encouraged by Community action where this is appropriate. However, the Commission has no specific plans for such action at the moment.

(1) Proposal for a Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market (OJ C 311 E, 31.10.2000) as modified (OJ C 154 E, 29.5.2001).