This revelation comes despite Berlin's commitment to assist in reducing global emissions of this potent greenhouse gas by 30 percent by the end of the decade.

Just a month ago, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the energy sector's methane emissions were nearing record levels last year. However, countries and companies are reporting much lower figures, even below the IEA's estimations.

Different Estimation Methods for Methane Content

Experts at Ember calculated methane emissions from German mines based on the gas content of coal and the depth of mining. The discrepancy arises because Germany uses research from a mining company in 1989, which simply multiplies the tonnage of lignite mined by 0.015 to obtain these values.

However, Ember's experts could not determine the exact methane content of German lignite due to a lack of data. Instead, they based their calculations on the similar quality of Polish brown coal. German authorities contest these findings, arguing that Ember's model was developed for anthracite coal from the USA, which is cleaner and has a higher heating value compared to the more porous lignite, which contains less methane.

Satellite imagery used by the research institute also detected methane clouds over several mines, with the highest concentrations found above operations owned by RWE and Lausitz Energie Bergbau (LEAG).

Underreporting Beyond Germany

The researchers' estimations also suggest discrepancies in reported emissions by other countries. According to their analysis, Indonesia, the world's third-largest coal producer, emits six to seven times more methane than reported, and Australia's emissions are 80 percent higher than actual figures. Notably, China, the top producer, has not disclosed its methane emissions since 2014, and India, the second-largest, since 2016.

If Ember's analysis holds true, it implies that German methane emissions have increased by 14 percent instead of decreasing. This is almost certain given that satellite images suggest the country's coal mines emit 78 times more methane than reported, with the IEA’s alternative estimation methods also indicating emissions 28 times higher than reported figures.

Power Plant Shutdowns in Germany

In response to the energy crisis, Germany has slowed down the shutdown of coal-fired power plants, but the process continues. According to a report by DPA, seven lignite-fired and eight smaller hard coal-fired plants were taken offline by the end of March, totaling a capacity of 4.4 gigawatts.

To avoid gas shortages, Germany temporarily recommissioned several previously shut down plants in 2022 and 2023 and extended the operational life of others. As a result, last year saw an increase in carbon dioxide emissions from Europe’s largest economy, which is currently in recession. The exact increase remains unknown, pending an examination by the Berlin Ministry of Economics, which is expected to propose measures by June to counterbalance this excess.

Methane is responsible for 30 percent of global warming, making it the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.