The gas race

摘要

Over 60% of all CMM emissions are released through mine ventilation air. The concentration of ventilation air methane (VAM) is extremely low, typically below 1%. This situation has proven to be a barrier to VAM recovery and destruction/ utilisation, but recent technological advancements with oxidation equipment, and the growth of the carbon market, have made it possible to deploy profitable VAM mitigation projects. Four of the 26 registered CDM CMM projects include a VAM component. In the US, there are currently 13 CMM recovery and use projects located at active underground coal mines. These projects account for 1.04 billion m~3 of methane emissions avoided (14.8 million t of CO_2e). In nearly all cases, the projects upgrade the CMM and sell it into local natural gas pipeline systems. Most of the projects are located in the Appalachian coal basins in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Alabama. One project is located in the Rocky Mountain West in Colorado. In addition, there are nearly 30 abandoned mine methane (AMM) recovery projects, which account for an additional 0.77 billion m~3 of methane emissions avoided (3.1 million t of CO_2e). AMM projects are geographically dispersed across 10 states and the project types are quite varied (including pipeline sales, electric power generation, and flaring).