1.B.1 - Solid Fuels
Last updated on 29 Aug 2019 09:29 (cf. Authors)
Short Discription
The source category Solid fuels (1.B.1) consists of three sub-source categories – the source category Coal mining (1.B.1.a), the source category Coal transformation (1.B.1.b) and the source category Other (1.B.1.c).
This chapter discusses fugitive emissions from coal mining, coal handling including door leakages from coke ovens and quenching (emissions from the furnace are covered by category 1.A.1.c) and emissions from the beneficiation of solid fuels.
In the mining sector, a distinction is made between open-pit mines, in which raw materials are extracted from pits open to the surface, and closed-pit mines, in which seams are mined underground. In Germany, hard coal is mined in closed-pits only, in three coal fields, in a total of three mines, while lignite is mined in four coal fields, since 2003 with the open-pit method only.
| NFR-Code | Name of Category | Pollutants | Method | Activity Data | Emission Factor | Key Category 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.B.1.a | Coal mining and handling | TSP, PM10, PM2.5 | T1 | AS | D | L: TSP, PM10 |
| 1.B.1.b | Solid fuel transformation | NMVOC, NH3, SO2, TSP, CO, PAH, PCDD/F, B[a]P |
T1, T2, T3 | AS | please click for details | L & T: TSP, PAH |
| 1.B.1.c | Other | NA | NA | NO | NO | no key category |
Method
Activity Data
1.B.1.a - Coal mining and handling
The activity rate has been taken from the STATISTIK DER KOHLENWIRTSCHAFT (in German only).
Table 1: Activity data 1990-2016| Unit | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | |
| Extraction of lignite | kt | 356 513 | 192 738 | 167 660 | 177 907 | 169 403 | 178 065 | 171 286 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilisable hard coal extracted | kt | 70 158 | 53 562 | 33 591 | 24 907 | 12 900 | 6 223 | 3 669 |
| Number of active hard coal mines | no. | 27 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Data from charcoal producation are considered confidential.
1.B.1.b - Solid fuel transformation
Following activity rates have been taken from the STATISTIK DER KOHLENWIRTSCHAFT (in German only).
Table 2: Activity data 1990-2016, in kilotonnes| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | |
| hard-coal-coke production | 17 580 | 11 102 | 9 115 | 8 397 | 8 171 | 8 800 | 9 338 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hard-coal briquettes production | 756 | 379 | 146 | 91 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| low temperature lignite-coke production | 1 500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| lignite briquettes production | 40 045 | 5 011 | 1 819 | 1 490 | 2 024 | 1 640 | 1 681 |
| lignite granulate production | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| lignite coke production | 3 356 | 192 | 179 | 173 | 176 | 170 | 155 |
| lignite dust production | 3 791 | 2 700 | 2 679 | 2 924 | 3 632 | 4 398 | 4 440 |
| dry lignite production | 695 | 570 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| fluidised circulating beds production | 265 | 471 | 561 | 660 | 415 | 450 | 430 |
Emission Factors
- factors from charcoal production (TSP, NOx, CO) were taken from the document "Emission Factor Documentation for AP-42 - Section 10.7" by US-EPA (1995) [9].
- Emissions from lignite coke production were messured (plant specific data).
- Emission factors for TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 are taken from a 2006 research project [1] and the CEPMEIP-Database [7]. The EF for TSP and PM10 from coke production were updated in a research project in 2010 [6]. To date there are no verified PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors for emissions before year 1995.
- Split factors for Black Carbon (BC) are based on the EMEP Guidebook 2016 [11]
- There are many potential sources of PAH emissions from coke oven plant. The dominant emission sources are leakages from coke oven doors and from charging operations. As there are limited data available on PAH emissions the uncertainties of the estimated emission factors are very high. It should be also taken into account that emissions from coke production greatly vary between different coke production plants. The emission factors for benzo[a]pyrene and mixed PAH have been revised by research projects in 2010 [2, 6].
- Emission factors for NMVOC, NH3, NOx and SO2 are based on a research project [4]
Trends in emissions
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Particulates Source: 1.B.1.a, 1.B.1.b Key Category: yes (by level and trend) Trend: -90.4% since 1990  Particulates emissions occur during transformation of lignite and hard coal. The very steep decline of the emissions in the early 1990s arose due to the shrinking production of lignite briquettes (almost 90% in the first five years). The value of the year 1990 is partly based on the GDR’s emission report, chapter “Produktion” (=production) which has no clear differentiation between mining, transformation and handling of lignite. The total emission as reported in the emission report is allocated in the NFR categories 1.B.1 and 2. The split factor is based on estimation of experts. There are no verified emission factors for PM2.5 and PM10 before 1995. |
| Sulphur dioxide Source: 1.B.1.b Key Category: no Trend: -97.4% since 1990 Sulphur Dioxide emissions occur during production of hard-coal coke. The value of the year 1990 is partly based on the GDR’s emission report, chapter “Produktion” (=production) which has no clear differentiation between mining, transformation and handling of coal. The total emission as reported in the emission report is allocated in the NFR categories 1.B.1 and 2. The split factor is based on estimation of experts. The apparently steep decline from 2007 to 2008 is the result of a research project in 2010, where new emission factors were determined for coke production for the years 2008 [6]. |
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Non-methane volatile organic compounds Source: 1.B.1.b Key Category: no Trend: -57.9% since 1990 Emissions of NMVOC occur during production of hard-coal coke. The shrinking emissions are mainly attributed to the hard-coal coke production and the decommissioning of outdated plants. |
| Carbon monoxide Source: 1.B.1.b Key Category: no Trend: 4.9% since 1990  Carbon monoxide emissions occur during production of coke and charcoal. The rising emissions are mainly attributed to the increasing production of charcoal and coke. A reverse affecting issue was the decommissioning of outdated plants in the 1990s. |
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Ammonia Source: 1.B.1.b Key Category: no Trend: -99.6% since 1990 The emissions almost stopped to occur in the early 1990s due to the discontinuation of the low-temperature lignite-coke production. Since then emissions has remained on a negligible low level resulting from cokery process of hard coal. |
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References
For greenhouse gases please refer to the National Inventory Report.
Bibliography
1. Federal Environment Agency research project No. 204 42 202/2 "Emissionen und Maßnahmenanalyse Feinstaub 2000-2020", published in 2007 [Click here]
2. Federal Environment Agency and DFIU research project "Anpassung der deutschen Methodik zur rechnerischen Emissionsermittlung an internationale Richtlinen, Teilbericht prioritäte Quellen", 2010 (not available online)
3. EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory Guidebook 2009; published in 2009 (last pageview: Feb 2012)
4. Federal Environment Agency research project No. 205 42 221 "Referenzszenario 2000-2020 unter der NEC-Richtlinie", published in 2007 [Click here]
5. Federal Environment Agency and DMT research project No. 360 160 28 "Diffuse Emissionen Fester Brennstoffe (Kohlen), Emissionen von Grubengas aus stillgelegten Bergwerken; Potenzial zur Freisetzung und Verwertung von Grubengas", 2011 (not available online)
6. Federal Environment Agency and BFI research project No. 3707 42 301 "EMISSIONSFAKTOREN ZUR EISEN- UND STAHLINDUSTRIE FÜR DIE EMISSIONSBERICHTSERSTATTUNG", 2011 [Click here]
7. Co-ordinated European Programme on Particulate Matter Emission Inventories, Projections and Guidance (CEPMEIP), http://www.air.sk/tno/cepmeip/
8. Federal Environment Agency research project No. 312 01 234 "Überarbeitung der Schwermetallkapitel im CORINAIR Guidebook zur Verbesserung der Emissionsinventare und der Berichterstattung im Rahmen der Genfer Luftreinhaltekonvention", published in October 2008 [Click here]
9. US-EPA, Emission Factor Documentation for AP-42 - Section 10.7, published in 1995 [Click here]
10. VERICO, Verbesserung des Qualitätsmanagements und Verifikation der deutschen Emissionsinventare, Teilbericht: Fugitive emissions from solid fuels: solid fuels – CH4 (more specific open pit mining); FKZ 3713 19 101 (not published yet)
11. EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory Guidebook 2016; published in 2016 (last pageview: Dec 2016)