Exploring Win-Wins from Trade-Offs? Co-Benefits of Coalbed Methane Utilization for the Environment, Economy and Safety

Abstract

With policy incentives for the coalbed methane in energy industry, coalbed methane from coal production has been effectively improved by technology innovations in coalbed methane extraction and utilization. The progress of coalbed methane promotes the clean construction of energy system and contributes to carbon neutrality target. To quantitatively measure the contributions of the coalbed methane in energy industry, this paper builds a carbon emissions accounting system for coalbed methane in China and assesses the historical co-benefits of coalbed methane utilization from the aspects of emissions reduction, safety and economy. By using the parameters of gas content, raw coal production, gas extraction rate and utilization rate over the years, emissions reduction potential and economic viability of coal seam gas are estimated and the safety benefits of coal mine gas extraction are analyzed by using data for gas accidents and economic losses. The results reveal that with the increase in raw coal production, the great emission reduction potential of coalbed methane is expected to benefit clean energy system and the development of carbon neutrality by means of policy incentives and technology innovations. The co-benefit evaluation indicates the huge profitability of coalbed methane from 2012 to 2015 and the significance of emissions reduction and safety gain internalization. Safety benefits are obvious in the negative exponential function between the annual drainage quantities of coalbed methane and annual death tolls from coal mine gas accidents. Based on these results, relevant suggestions are put forward for sustainable development of the coalbed methane in energy industry.