Preparatory and operational activities in mines are inherently linked to the need to mitigate methane hazards This is managed through an advanced methane drainage system, centered around surface methane drainage stations. Through this process, methane, which constitutes a significant risk to miners, is safely captured and utilized at the surface as a valuable energy resource.
- Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa treats methane hazards extremely seriously. Methane emissions in coking coal mines are an unavoidable geological phenomenon. Our priority is the safety of our miners; therefore, methane must be effectively removed via both methane drainage systems and ventilation shafts - explains Adam Rozmus, Vice-President of the JSW Management Board for Technical and Operational Matters.
Gas captured by the methane drainage system is directed to methane utilization installations, such as boilers and cogeneration units, to generate electricity and heat. The electricity produced powers the substations of the respective units, while the recovered heat is used for climate control in buildings, water heating, and the heating of downcast shafts. Furthermore, gas from drainage stations is partially sold to external producers.
Currently, eleven cogeneration units with a total capacity of 40 MW operate across JSW’s mines. In 2025, these units produced 142,000 MWh of electricity – a production volume comparable to the annual consumption of a city with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. More than 34 million cubic meters of methane were utilized to fuel this generation. At the same time, JSW continues to invest in its methane utilization capabilities. The construction of fourteen additional cogeneration units is underway: 6 at the Budryk mine, 4 at the Szczygłowice Section, and 4 at the Pniówek mine. Ultimately, the total system capacity is expected to reach 60 MW. These in-house cogeneration units significantly reduce the mines’ operating costs. In 2025 alone, they generated more than PLN 62 million in savings for JSW. Such costs would have to be incurred for the purchase of electricity from external suppliers if the gas was not utilized in in-house CCGT units.
In line with its Methane Emissions Reduction Programme, Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa plans to achieve a 50% methane drainage efficiency rate by 2027, with a target to economically utilize 95% of that captured gas. Through the work of numerous specialists and significant investments, we are steadily approaching this target, with the aim of improving our environmental footprint.
- We fully recognize the energy potential of methane captured from coal seams. Projects aimed at maximizing capture and optimizing utilization have significantly improved our energy efficiency and economic performance, delivering multi-million savings. In recent years, methane management has become one of our core priorities, directly aligned with the Company’s strategic objectives. Increasing drainage efficiency is both capital-intensive and technically complex, but despite challenging market conditions JSW remains committed to investing in effective solutions that reduce our emissions - concludes Adam Rozmus.
Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa is a leader in the implementation of methane emission reduction technologies and has executed numerous research and deployment projects co-financed by the European Union since 2022. These initiatives include:
The REM Project, which focuses on assessing the feasibility of capturing methane from post-mining goafs and developing drainage systems optimized for lower gas concentrations. An innovative facility is under development at the Pniówek mine to mitigate emissions from abandoned areas and convert the captured gas into electricity. After validation, these solutions should be deployed across all JSW mines and hold potential for global application.
The MASTERMINE Project automates and digitalizes the methane drainage infrastructure to maximize efficiency of methane capture and improve occupational safety underground. A smart system utilizing an advanced sensor network is being deployed at the Pniówek mine to enable remote control of methane capture.
The ProVAM Project develops comprehensive guidelines for mitigating Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) emissions by analyzing emissions, technical conditions and assessing available technologies. The project will identify and assess the most effective VAM utilization technology aligned with the European Green Deal principles.
The METH2GEN Project focuses on mitigating methane hazards while using excess methane gas to produce hydrogen fuel. The project assumes the implementation of a new methane drainage method utilizing directional drilling and the construction of a dedicated hydrogen production installation.
The total budget of the projects exceeds EUR 63.8 million, of which JSW contributes EUR 37.3 million, while European Union co-financing exceeds EUR 18.8 million.
