As a high‑energy‑consumption industrial scenario, coal mine production has electricity demand running through multiple links including mining, haulage and coal washing. Large‑scale coal mines can consume tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of kilowatt‑hours of electricity every year. With the rapid popularization of intelligent and modernized equipment, mines have become even more reliant on electric power.

Nevertheless, the continuous deployment of high‑end equipment has driven a steady decline in energy consumption per unit product in mines. New‑energy development in mining areas keeps moving forward, and green electricity is expected to help mines realize self‑sufficiency in power supply. In the future, backed by more‑reliable green‑electricity substitution, continuous upgrading of mining equipment and further intelligentization of mining systems, coal production will become cleaner and more efficient, bringing better economic benefits to coal‑mining enterprises.

■Substantial Power Consumption in Coal Production

“In coal mines, numerous production links consume substantial electricity, mainly including underground hoisting and haulage, ventilation and drainage, mining‑excavation equipment, and electrified power distribution systems. In addition, surface procedures such as surface transportation, coal washing as well as loading and unloading also consume a great deal of electric power,” Associate Professor Wang Bing from the School of Energy and Mining Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology‑Beijing, pointed out in an interview with reporters from China Energy News. Depending on mine scale, the annual electricity consumption of a single coal mine can reach tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of kilowatt‑hours.

Take China Coal Shaanxi Dahaize Coal Mine with an annual production capacity of 20 million tons as an example. The mine’s annual power consumption hits 82.16 million kWh. China’s per‑capita electricity consumption stands at roughly 1,000 kWh. In other words, the mine’s annual electricity use equals the total domestic power consumption of 82,000 people.

According to statistics released by the China National Coal Association, the comprehensive power consumption for raw‑coal production of large‑scale domestic coal‑mining enterprises reached 23.7 kWh per ton last year, representing a 3‑percent year‑on‑year increase.

Last year, authorities including the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Opinions on Strengthening the Clean and Efficient Utilization of Coal. The document proposes to improve the system of energy‑saving and carbon‑reduction standards for coal mines, promote the application of high‑energy‑efficiency technologies and equipment as well as the comprehensive utilization of waste heat, residual pressure and other resources, further tap the energy‑saving potential of production systems, and reasonably cut the energy consumption of coal‑mine production, so as to realize the gradual decline of production energy‑use intensity by 2030.

Wang Bing holds that energy‑saving renovation for coal‑mine production should be carried out from multiple dimensions: low‑carbon power substitution, equipment upgrading and intelligent control systems, process‑and‑system optimization, and strengthened management mechanisms. “These measures can guarantee the safe, efficient and low‑carbon operation of mines, and also help contain and reduce the overall energy consumption of mining sites.”

■Intelligence: Boosting Efficiency while Increasing Energy Consumption

Much like intelligent technologies such as autonomous driving are often deployed in electric vehicles with ample power supply, the modernization and intelligent construction of coal mines have been accelerating in recent years. More‑efficient and smarter equipment is increasingly applied at production sites, yet these devices also bring higher energy‑consumption requirements.

“With the continuous improvement of mine modernization and intelligence, the deployment of automatic haulage, unmanned inspection, and electrified equipment has raised the mine’s electricity consumption.” Nevertheless, Wang Bing also stated that in the medium‑to‑long run, coal‑mine intelligence can cut power consumption per unit coal output through more‑efficient operation, intelligent control and optimized scheduling. Accordingly, energy saving and consumption reduction can be achieved while guaranteeing production capacity and improving safety and efficiency.

Last year, while the comprehensive power consumption for raw‑coal production of large‑scale national coal‑mining enterprises rose year‑on‑year, their comprehensive energy consumption of raw‑coal production fell by 12.2 % year‑on‑year to 7.9 kg of standard coal per ton.

Wang Bing pointed out that the year‑on‑year drop in comprehensive energy consumption demonstrates that large‑scale coal‑mining enterprises have made substantial improvements in total energy consumption. Meanwhile, the rising proportion and amount of electricity consumption indicates that as electrification, automation and intelligence advance, coal production and transportation are relying more heavily on electric‑power‑driven equipment and electric haulage systems. This brings about the transformation of the energy‑consumption structure for coal production and transportation within mining areas. “Coal‑mine production is transforming from the traditional mode featuring high fuel consumption and mechanical driving toward an electrified, automated and low‑carbon‑driven mode.”

■Green‑Electricity Substitution Holds Great Potential

In recent years, a number of coal‑mining enterprises have actively explored development opportunities for new‑energy industries such as wind power and photovoltaic power. China Shenhua has established several new‑energy companies in recent years. As of September 2025, its installed photovoltaic capacity has reached 1,025 MW. In the first half of this year, China National Coal Group, together with SPIC, CGN and China Energy Engineering Corporation, set up more than ten new‑energy companies to accelerate the expansion of new‑energy businesses.

Land resources constitute an important advantage for coal‑mining enterprises to expand new‑energy businesses. By the end of 2024, China’s coal‑mining subsidence areas covered approximately 2 million hectares. Such idle land provides ready‑made sites for new‑energy projects. The on‑site power grid of mining areas can directly consume new‑energy power generation to form integrated “source‑grid‑load‑storage” projects. This represents a feasible path for mines to realize green‑electricity substitution and production‑side emission reduction.

Recently, the National Energy Administration issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Integrated Development of Coal and New Energy. It proposes that by the end of the 15th Five‑Year Plan period, remarkable results shall be achieved in the integrated development of coal and new energy. Development models for photovoltaic and wind‑power industries in coal‑mining areas will be basically mature. Electric‑energy substitution and the penetration rate of new energy will be greatly increased. A number of clean and low‑carbon mining areas will be built, further strengthening the driving force for green development in the coal industry.

Mine power supply lays emphasis not only on power and efficiency. Since mining operations are mostly carried out underground within enclosed environments with poor ventilation and insufficient natural lighting, power outages will not only disrupt normal mining work but may also threaten miners’ lives. “For mine‑used power supplies, special requirements for safety, stability and reliability are equally essential. Therefore, the design of mine power‑supply systems tends to be more stringent, with higher costs and operation‑and‑maintenance requirements,” said Wang Bing.

“Green‑electricity substitution in mine production is being gradually promoted. Nevertheless, challenges remain for new energy to serve as the main power source to stably support mine production. At present, mines still have a relatively low reliance on green electricity, whose application is mainly confined to mining‑area transportation, production‑and‑domestic consumption, and heating within mining areas,” Wang Bing pointed out. For further popularization and utilization of renewable energy in mining areas, it is still necessary to continuously optimize the stability and continuity of power supply to satisfy the high‑load requirements of mine production.