Abandoned mine methane offers Wales an energy and revenue opportunity

This report by Ember examines the potential for capturing abandoned mine methane (AMM) in Wales to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate local energy and revenue. It highlights that while Wales contributes significantly to UK AMM emissions due to the methane-rich geology of South Wales anthracite coalfields, it currently lacks active capture projects and suffers from significant data gaps and outdated emission estimates.

• Wales is a major source of the UK's abandoned mine methane (AMM) emissions, accounting for approximately 49% of the UK's modelled AMM emissions in 2023. This is largely due to the South Wales anthracite seams, which are among the most methane-rich coalfields in Britain, with typical methane contents ranging from 11 to over 20 cubic metres per tonne of coal.
• There is a significant opportunity for energy generation and profit in Wales; capturing estimated Welsh AMM reserves could produce about 880 GWh of electricity and generate an estimated profit of £19.5 million by 2050. However, Wales currently has no active AMM utilisation projects, despite the UK having 16 operational sites that generated £2.3 million in gross profit in 2025.
• Current AMM emission reporting in the UK is hindered by a reliance on outdated data and a lack of direct measurement. The UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory uses a 2010 DEFRA model based on a database last updated in 2005. In South Wales, 900 km2 of area with potential AMM has not been assessed, and there is no measurement infrastructure at the sites accounting for the bulk of estimated Welsh emissions.
• The lack of accurate, site-level measurement is a primary constraint for commercial deployment. Operators, such as Infinis, report that AMM portfolios are harder to quantify and less predictable than landfill methane projects because there is no established third-party method for calculating methane volumes.
• France provides a successful model for AMM utilisation through a combination of tariff controls, tax breaks, and streamlined permitting. Grid operators in France must purchase energy from AMM projects at a higher price to reflect risks and costs, and VAT for operators has been reduced from 20% to 5.5%.
• Ember recommends that the Welsh Government implement three specific policy actions: mandating source-level direct measurement through Natural Resources Wales and planning authorities, developing a framework to phase out routine venting and flaring, and introducing targeted financial incentives such as price guarantees or tax credits.

APA

Assan, S., & Horner, R. (2026). Abandoned mine methane offers Wales an energy and revenue opportunity. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Abandoned-mine-methane-offers-Wales-an-energy-and-revenue-opportunity.pdf

Chicago

Assan, Sabina, and Rebekah Horner. Abandoned mine methane offers Wales an energy and revenue opportunity. Ember, 2026. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Abandoned-mine-methane-offers-Wales-an-energy-and-revenue-opportunity.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assan |first1=Sabina |last2=Horner |first2=Rebekah |title=Abandoned mine methane offers Wales an energy and revenue opportunity |publisher=Ember |date=2 June 2026 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Abandoned-mine-methane-offers-Wales-an-energy-and-revenue-opportunity.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assan2026abandoned, author = {Assan, Sabina and Horner, Rebekah}, title = {{Abandoned mine methane offers Wales an energy and revenue opportunity}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Abandoned-mine-methane-offers-Wales-an-energy-and-revenue-opportunity.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }