Review on carbon neutralization associated with coal geology

Coal-based carbon emissions constitute the largest part of China's total carbon emissions. Reducing coal-based carbon emissions and realizing the efficient, clean and low-carbon utilization of coal are the important ways to achieve the goal of "carbon neutralization". This paper systematically reviews the research fields of coal geology related to carbon neutralization, analyzes the role and application prospects of coal geology in carbon neutrality research and engineering practice, and discusses the development direction of coal geology in the context of carbon neutralization. The following understandings are obtained. Promoting clean coal geology research to advance the efficient and clean combustion of coal. Exploring and developing low-carbon natural gas to optimize primary energy structure and fossil energy structure. Carrying out chemical coal resource exploration and developing geological support research to speed up coal Low-carbon energy conversion and the development of new coal chemical industry. Through further gas geological research and increase the rate of coal mine gas(underground) extraction so as to suppress coal mine gas emissions and leakage. Studing further on coalbed methane natural emission and coal seam spontaneous combustion emissions to control coal seam outcrops natural emissions. By developing coal-bed CO₂ geological storage and CO₂ enhanced coalbed methane(CO₂-ECBM) technology to facilitate carbon capturing, utilization and storage(CCUS) technology and its commercial application in the emission reduction of flue gas from thermal power plants. Moreover, study the carbon footprint of coal exploration companies to boost net zero emission of them. All the above are carbon emission reduction technology paths closely related to coal geology, among which, high-efficiency exploration and development of coalbed methane and coal-measure gas, deep coal seam CO₂-ECBM, coal seam outcrop gas escape and spontaneous combustion control, clean coal geology and coal fine exploration are important areas should be given first priority in coal geology research under the background of carbon neutralization.