MEMO: Methane Emission Monitoring of Abandoned Coal Mines

The energy sector is responsible for 16% of EU-wide methane emissions, the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂. Both active and abandoned mines play a significant role in this. To date, there are no uniform EU methods for recording these emissions and the resulting opportunities for reducing them. Previous approaches have used international emission factors that are not necessarily transferable to European mines. In addition, incomplete historical data and different administrative systems hinder systematic recording. The low limit values of the European Methane Regulation (EU 2024/1787) place high demands on sensors and measurement technology.

For this reason, the MEMO project is developing new methods for detecting and monitoring methane emissions from abandoned coal mines in the EU. This involves systematically classifying sites according to their emission potential and developing specific emission factors for different sources such as shafts, boreholes, and tunnels. The methodological approach combines experimental, numerical, and field-based research. Models from numerical fluid mechanics as well as new measurement methods and devices such as accumulation chambers and drones are used.

Photo: Tobias Rudolph / FZN

The project operates on multiple levels: at the mine, regional, and national levels, depending on the data available. The scientific results are intended to improve the measurement and forecasting of methane emissions, promote the development of new measuring devices, and help identify hotspots for abandoned mine methane (AMM). A key outcome will be a technical guide to EU-compliant inventorying, which will be validated using case studies. In this way, MEMO supports the implementation of the EU methane strategy and the United Nations' 1.5-degree climate target.

The 42-month project is funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) and combines expertise from the fields of mining engineering, environmental technology, measurement technology, numerical modeling, and geosciences. To this end, the FZN is collaborating with eight universities and companies from France, Poland, Belgium, and the Czech Republic.

Project duration:October 1, 2025 – March 31, 2029

The Methane Monitoring of Abandoned Coal Mines (MEMO) project will be funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel until 2029. Project number: 101216769