Economic use of methane Project

JSW is implementing the Project in 2018-2023.

Hard coal mining is inherently associated with obtaining methane by-product. The rich resources of this raw material in Poland mean that their management is associated with obtaining significant economic benefits, increasing safety in mines and the implementation of the national strategy assuming the further development of a circular economy, i.e. one in which the by-products of one process are used economically in the next.

In 2018, methane from JSW S.A. mines 57% of it was used for the production of electricity, heat or cooling, which means that there is a great potential for further development of this technology.

The aim of the project is to expand the infrastructure enabling JSW to generate electricity using the combustion of excess methane obtained from hard coal in the methane drainage process.

The project concerns the management of methane from the KWK Budryk and KWK Knurów-Szczygłowice mines and the production of energy for the use of these mines, and then other mines owned by JSW. The Project concept does not provide for the sale of electricity outside JSW.

Mining activity is one of the energy-intensive industries, which is primarily associated with a significant mechanization of the production process carried out in a continuous mode with a three-shift system. This means that JSW has a significant demand for electricity at the level of approx. 1 TWh during the year.

Due to JSW's access to significant and stable methane surpluses, it is possible to reduce the costs of purchasing electricity, and to use methane instead of its escape into the atmosphere, which is associated with additional emission costs.

Economy

Total power of cogeneration systems installed at JSW S.A. in 2023 it will amount to 43.9 MWel. The annual production potential of "Green Electricity" in KWK Budryk and KWK Knurów Szczygłowice in 2022 will amount to approx. 330 thousand. MWh. The amount of produced energy covers approximately 33% of JSW S.A.'s annual electricity demand. The amount of produced energy would supply 180 thousand. medium-sized households in Poland.

Ecology

The annual amount of "Green Electricity" produced is 330 thousand. MWh at JSW S.A. allows you to save 165 thousand. Mg of thermal coal needed to be consumed in a conventional coal-fired power plant to produce the same amount of electricity. The implementation of "Green Investments" in KWK Budryk and KWK "Knurów-Szczygłowice" by 2023 - will allow the reduction of methane emissions to the atmosphere by a total of 80 million m³ of CH₄, which gives approx. 1.6 million Mg CO₂e per year.