Workshops on Best Practices in Coal Mine Methane Capture and Utilization

The full day session in Ankara was organized in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI). It took place on Monday, 10 June, and featured 24 technical presentation divided into eight thematic segments. 

The two-day-long workshop in Dnipro was held within the framework of the Third International Coal Conference titled Ukrainian Coal Mining Industry in the Times of Decarbonisation, which was hosted by the Technical University of Dnipro and organized by the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry and DTEK on 12-14 June. While the UNECE sessions were held only on the first two days of the event, our guests attended the whole conference, benefiting also from the discussions taking place on Friday, 14 June. During the part organized by UNECE, 27 presentations were delivered by the local and international experts.

The objectives of the workshops were to disseminate and encourage implementation of best practices in CMM drainage and utilization, and to promote policies that facilitate development of CMM projects. 

Summarizing the events, Mr. Raymond Pilcher, the Chair of the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane, said: "we were gratified by the enthusiasm of the coal mining organizations hosting our Group of Experts in Turkey and Ukraine. In addition to the presentations, the workshops gave our experts the opportunity to meet with organizations that are leading in the capture and use of methane that will provide alternative and cleaner burning fuel for local consumption. We also learned that the government of Turkey has invested and will continue to invest heavily in development of its brown coal resources to fuel newly built power plants to provide electricity to the country whose young population is growing and increasingly consuming energy at a rate of greater than five percent per annum.  While both Turkey and Ukraine are investing in renewable energy, they also continue heavy investment in coal in lieu of other energy fuels that would have to be purchased from neighbors."  

Please see also a short news article summarizing both events.