300 GW: Abandoned coal mines can turn into solar energy farms

A recent report by Global Energy Monitor highlights a significant opportunity to convert abandoned and soon-to-be-closed coal mines into solar energy farms, potentially generating up to 300 gigawatts (GW) of solar power—enough to match Germany’s annual electricity consumption. Since 2020, 312 surface coal mines covering about 2,089 square kilometers have closed, offering space for 103 GW of solar capacity. By 2030, an additional 3,700 square kilometers could be repurposed, adding 185 GW more. This combined potential represents roughly 15% of the world’s current solar capacity. Major coal producers such as Australia, the United States, Indonesia, and India hold nearly three-quarters of this potential, with China already leading with 90 coal mine-to-solar projects generating 14 GW. Despite the promising prospects, several challenges exist, including complex land ownership issues, regulatory hurdles, and higher costs related to rehabilitating unstable, potentially toxic mine sites and upgrading