Project implementation period:
September 1st, 2025 - February 28th, 2029
Project coordinator:
dr Aleksander Wrana
(Główny Instytut Górnictwa-Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, GIG-PIB)
Head of the project in GIG-PIB:
dr Aleksander Wrana
Department of Extraction Technologies, Rockburst and Risk Assessment - BG
e-mail: awrana@gig.eu
tel. +48 32 25 92 307
Description:
The MEMO project addresses significant challenges in quantifying and managing methane emissions from abandoned coal mines within the EU. Methodology for inventorying these emissions remains undeveloped. A critical issue includes adhering to the EU emission thresholds, requiring continuous data collection, which challenges existing methane and flow sensors, particularly aerial technologies.
MEMO aims to create robust methodologies applicable across EU countries to accurately inventory methane emissions. This involves classifying abandoned mines on methane emission susceptibility, defining methods using emission factor estimations tailored to EU needs, and evaluating the feasibility of accurately measuring methane flux down to 0.5 t/year.
The project's goals include establishing a reliable method for creating methane inventories, categorizing abandoned mines based on emission potential, developing a quantification approach using emission factors, and assessing methane measurement techniques. MEMO aims to evaluate suitable sensors and data collection networks for methane measurement and validate the developed methodology.
The project is structured into four technical work packages (WP). WP 1 focuses on project management, while WP 2 establishes methods for methane inventory development, classifying emissive mining components, and estimating emissions using emission factors. WP 3 evaluates measurement techniques, develops reliable sensors if needed, and categorizes EU mining configurations for unified monitoring. WP 4 applies the methodology to case studies, testing its feasibility and comparing estimated emissions with field measurements. Finally, WP 5 synthesizes conclusions and disseminates findings, producing a technical guide aligned with EU regulations.
By integrating experimental, numerical, and field research, MEMO aims to develop and validate a comprehensive methane monitoring framework that improves measurement precision and supports EU regulatory compliance.
The project consortium is formed with the following partners:
- GŁÓWNY INSTYTUT GÓRNICTWA - PAŃSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (GIG-PIB) - POLAND – THE COORDINATOR
- INSTITUT NATIONAL DE L ENVIRONNEMENT INDUSTRIEL ET DES RISQUES - INERIS (INERIS) – FRANE,
- INSTYTUT MECHANIKI GÓROTWORU - POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK - IMG PAN (IMG PAN) - POLAND,
- INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE DE SERVICE PUBLIC (ISSeP) – BELGIUM,
- INSTYTUT TECHNIKI GÓRNICZEJ KOMAG (KOMAG) – POLAND,
- DMT-GESELLSCHAFT FUR LEHRE UND BILDUNG MBH (THGA) – GERMANY,
- UNIVERSITE DE MONS (UMONS) – BELGIUM,
- PAŃSTWOWY INSTYTUT GEOLOGICZNY - PAŃSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (PIG-PIB) – POLAND,
- VUHU AS (VUHU AS) – THE CZECH REPUBLIC.
This project has received co-funding from the European Union's Research Fund for Coal and Steel under grant agreement N° 101216769 — MEMO.
