Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), the largest producer of coking coal in Europe, has officially launched the ambitious METH2GEN project aimed at combating coal mine methane and using it to produce cheap hydrogen. The total budget of the initiative is €25.6 million, of which more than €20 million is funded by the company itself. The project has received support from the European Union, JSW said in a press release.
METH2GEN has two key areas. The first is the introduction of the latest technology for degassing geological formations using directional drilling. This will make it possible to achieve up to 70% efficiency of methane capture at mining sites, in particular at the Budryk mine. This approach will not only improve occupational safety, but also reduce costs and emissions of methane into the atmosphere.
The second component of the project is the construction of a plant for the production of hydrogen from excess methane using SMR (Steam Methane Reforming) technology. In the process, methane is converted into hydrogen, and by-product CO2 is captured and used in fire prevention.
JSW has already started purchasing specialized drilling equipment and is conducting geological surveys to select the location of the future hydrogen installation. The produced hydrogen should become significantly cheaper than electrolysis, which is especially important against the background of global decarbonization.
METH2GEN is one of four major JSW projects funded with EU support. The total budget of these initiatives exceeds €63.8 million. The company estimates that methane is responsible for 73% of its carbon footprint, so reducing its emissions is a key priority within JSW's environmental strategy.
