Subnational Case: Cracking the Low-Concentration Methane Emission Reduction Dilemma: An Innovative Solution from Shanxi Province

This article focuses on Shanxi, a major coal province in China, and details its exploration and breakthroughs in the emission reduction and utilization of low-concentration methane (mainly derived from coal mine gas). Low-concentration methane emission is a significant challenge in methane emission reduction in China's energy sector, particularly in Shanxi, a major coal mining area. This region has experienced a prolonged methane emission issue due to technological limitations, delayed policies, and unfavorable economic factors. Shanxi has charted a course from "discharging" to "burning" methane through locally adapted technologies, such as "low-concentration gas direct-fired heating." This strategic shift is in line with the revision of national standards and the strengthening of local policies. Direct-fired technology has become a key solution to reducing low-concentration gas emissions thanks to its high energy efficiency, low investment, and strong adaptability. Currently, relevant teams are expanding this technology to broader industrial fields such as glass manufacturing. They are also calling on existing safety regulations to catch up with technological innovations, opening more space for low-concentration methane management.