Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol FAQs

  1. What is the start date policy for coal mine methane projects?
  2. What are the two different coal mine methane project types?
  3. What is VAM?
  4. What is the difference between coal bed methane and coal mine methane?
  5. What is a trona mine?
  6. Why are surface mines excluded from the Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol?
  7. Why are abandoned mines excluded from the Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol?
  8. What is the difference between an abandoned mine and an intermittent mine?
  9. Why is methane sent through a pipeline for off-site consumption excluded?
  10. What is a non-qualifying device?
  11. How was the performance standard determined for coal mine methane projects?
  12. What is the difference between project expansion and a new project?
  13. How does the renewable crediting period work?
  14. Will the CMM Project Protocol be adapted for use in Mexico?

  1. Q: What is the start date policy for coal mine methane projects?
    A: Projects must be submitted within 6 months of the project start date. The start date is defined by the project developer, but can be no more than 3 months after coal mine methane is first destroyed by the project. Projects may be submitted prior to their start date.

  2. Q: What are the two different coal mine methane project types?
    A: The two CMM project types are drainage projects and ventilation air methane (VAM) projects. Drainage projects destroy methane that otherwise would have been vented through a drainage system such as surface pre-mining boreholes, horizontal pre-mining boreholes, or post-mining (gob) wells. VAM projects destroy methane that otherwise would be vented from a ventilation shaft.

  3. Q: What is VAM?
    A: VAM is ventilation air methane, or methane that is emitted from coal mines through ventilation systems. To reduce concentrations of methane and improve safety conditions within the mine, methane is diluted by ventilating the mine with outside air. VAM is the coal mine methane that is mixed with the ventilation air in the mine that is circulated in sufficient quantity to dilute methane to low concentrations.

  4. Q: What is the difference between coal bed methane and coal mine methane?
    A: Coal mine methane is released from coal and surrounding strata during coal mining and post-mining processes. Coal bed methane originates and is drained from virgin coal seams and surrounding strata. It is independent of any mining activities and therefore not eligible under this protocol.

  5. Q: What is a trona mine?
    A: Trona is a mineral mined as the primary source of sodium carbonate in the United States. It is commonly used in glass manufacturing, food additives, baking soda, baking powder, and detergents among other uses. Coal mines and trona mines are both eligible under this protocol. Even though the protocol refers to coal mine methane throughout, it may also be applied to methane released through mining at Category III gassy underground trona mines.

  6. Q: Why are surface mines excluded from the Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol?
    A: We do not feel there are sufficiently accurate methodologies available to quantify emission reductions for a surface mine project.

  7. Q: Why are abandoned mines excluded from the Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol?
    A: We do not feel there are sufficiently accurate methodologies available to quantify baseline emissions for an abandoned mine project (i.e. when and in what quantities would methane have been released from the abandoned mine in the absence of the project?).

  8. Q: What is the difference between an abandoned mine and an intermittent mine?
    A: Abandoned mines are not eligible under the Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol. However, intermittent mines are considered eligible. These are mines that have been seasonally idle for more than 90 days, but mining facilities and equipment remain intact. Intermittent mines are considered active mines by this protocol and are therefore eligible.

  9. Q: Why is methane sent through a pipeline for off-site consumption excluded?
    A: Performance standard research concluded that use of methane for pipeline sales is common practice, in so far as pipelines are used at 88% of the mines that capture methane, and 53% of the mines that drain methane.

  10. Q: What is a non-qualifying device?
    A: A non-qualifying device destroys coal mine methane at the same mine where eligible project activities take place but does not meet one or more of the eligibility criteria. Any coal mine methane destroyed in a non-qualifying device must be included in the baseline emissions if it is currently in operation or was shut down less than one year prior to the start date. If it was shut down more than one year prior to the start date, it does not have to be included in the baseline emissions.

  11. Q: How was the performance standard determined for coal mine methane projects?
    A: The performance standard analysis included an in-depth study of coal mine data trends in the U.S., degasification techniques, ventilation air methane utilization technologies, and review of current and past regulations that could affect coal mine methane projects. Given the results of the research, the Reserve concluded that while it may be common practice to have a drainage system at a gassy mine, it is not common practice to destroy the CMM drained. For VAM projects, there were no commercial projects using VAM technology in the U.S at the time the protocol was written. Thus the Reserve concluded that all commercial VAM projects should be considered eligible.

  12. Q: What is the difference between project expansion and a new project?
    A: Project expansion and a new project are defined differently for drainage and VAM projects. For drainage projects, if a new borehole is drilled and connected to an existing qualifying destruction device OR a new destruction device is added to an existing borehole, this is considered a project expansion. If both the borehole and the destruction device are new, this is considered a new project.

    For VAM projects, if additional destruction equipment is added to an existing shaft, this is considered a project expansion. If destruction equipment is added to a shaft that is not part of an existing project, then the project developer can choose if this will be an expansion or a new project. Note that the VAM destruction equipment does not need to be new; it is only the ventilation shaft that must be new.

  13. Q: How does the renewable crediting period work?
    A: After a coal mine methane project completes its first 10-year crediting period, it can apply for a second 10-year crediting period. However, the project must meet the eligibility criteria of the most recent version of the protocol.

  14. Q: Will the CMM Project Protocol be adapted for use in Mexico?
    A: The Reserve does not plan to adapt the CMM Protocol for use in Mexico at this time.