India’s coal mine methane emissions are at a ‘critical moment’, says think tank

India is currently the world’s second-largest producer, importer and consumer of coal. According to the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy, it produced 16.75 EJ of coal in 2023 (behind China, at 93.10 EJ), importing 5.35 EJ (China: 10.16 EJ) and consuming 21.98 EJ (China: 91.94 EJ). The country is also one of the biggest emitters of methane from coal mining, according to Ember.  

Energy demand is growing rapidly in the country, with coal-based power generation projected to increase from 212 GW in 2023 to 260 GW by 2031, according to the latest National Energy Policy from India’s Ministry of Power.  

To meet rising energy demand and reduce coal imports, the Ministry of Coal is planning a significant expansion in domestic coal mining, including a tripling of higher-emitting underground coal mining, reports Ember. It predicts that this expansion could see annual coal mine emissions exceed 1.6mn t/y of the greenhouse gas methane by 2029, more than double compared to 2019 levels.

As a result, Ember believes India is now at ‘a critical moment to address the increase in emissions, and potentially utilise this wasted methane gas’.

According to the think tank’s latest analysis, implementing effective methane mitigation strategies could see India reducing its coal mine methane emissions by up to 35% annually by 2030. This could result in a cumulative reduction of more than 1.6mn tonnes of methane, equivalent to over 44.5mn tCO2e, it says.

Furthermore, if regulatory reforms incentivise capturing and utilising this methane, India could replace approximately 1.5bn m3 of imported gas, potentially saving up to $980mn over the next five years, adds the report.

‘Addressing India’s coal mine methane emissions is the low-hanging opportunity we have to slow climate change, reduce surface ozone and complement India’s efforts to reduce carbon dioxide,’ says Rajasekhar Modadugu, Ember’s Analyst Climate and Energy, India. ‘Policies to incentivise mitigation, capture and utilisation of coal mine methane are crucial and should be prioritised with urgency.’

Chris Wright, Ember’s Climate Strategy Advisor for Coal Mine Methane, adds: ‘India’s coal mining industry has a pivotal opportunity to address its coal mine methane emissions and unlock the considerable social, economic and climate opportunities of methane mitigation at scale.’