Poland’s second BEŁCHATÓW

The report finds that Poland was responsible for 70% of methane leaks from Europe's operational coal mines in 2018. These emissions, totaling 659 kilotonnes, have a 20-year climate impact equivalent to 56.7 million tonnes of CO2, which exceeds the 2018 CO2 emissions of the Belchatów power plant. The analysis identifies two companies, JSW and PGG, as responsible for 90% of leaks from operational hard coal mines, with the Budryk deep mine identified as the largest emitter in Europe. The report recommends accelerating methane reduction plans, prioritizing the closure of methane-intensive mines, banning the release of captured methane, and integrating coal mine methane into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme by 2030.

• In 2018, Poland accounted for 70% of methane leaks from operational coal mines across Europe. When including closed mines, Poland's share was 57% of the total EU-27 emissions, emitting 659 kilotonnes of methane.
• The climate impact of methane from Poland's coal mines is greater than the CO2 emissions of the Belchatów power plant. Using a 20-year multiplier, the 659 kilotonnes of methane equal 56.7 million tonnes of CO2, compared to Belchatów's 38.3 million tonnes of CO2 in 2018.
• Two companies, JSW and PGG, were responsible for 90% of methane leaks from Poland's operational hard coal mines in 2018. JSW contributed 50% (231 kt) and PGG contributed 40% (186 kt).
• Methane leaks increase the lifecycle emissions of coal in Poland by an average of 23%. For JSW's coal, leaks add 51%, while for PGG's coal, they add 22%.
• Approximately 16% of methane leaks in Poland originate from demethanisation plants that release captured methane into the air. The value of this released gas was estimated at 110 million PLN in 2018.
• Two of PGG's mines, Mysłowice-Wesoła and Sośnica, are highly methane-intensive, adding 73% and 52% respectively to the lifecycle emissions of their coal, yet they are not scheduled for closure until 2041 and 2029.

APA

Kasprzak, M., & Jones, D. (2020). Poland’s second BEŁCHATÓW. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/English-Polands-Second-Belchatow.pdf

Chicago

Kasprzak, Małgorzata, and Dave Jones. Poland’s second BEŁCHATÓW. Ember, 2020. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/English-Polands-Second-Belchatow.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kasprzak |first1=Małgorzata |last2=Jones |first2=Dave |title=Poland’s second BEŁCHATÓW |publisher=Ember |date=November 2020 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/English-Polands-Second-Belchatow.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kasprzak2020polands, author = {Kasprzak, Małgorzata and Jones, Dave}, title = {{Poland’s second BEŁCHATÓW}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/English-Polands-Second-Belchatow.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }