Abandoned Coal Mines Could Power a Solar Future, Says Global Report

A new report shows that abandoned coal mines around the world, including in India, could be used to generate a large amount of solar power. The report, published by Global Energy Monitor (GEM), says that converting these closed mines into solar farms could create up to 300 gigawatts (GW) of solar power. That’s enough electricity to power a country like Germany for one year.

The study looked at 446 closed or soon-to-close coal mines across 5,800 square kilometers of land. These areas are no longer useful for mining but could be used to set up solar panels. If used, they could produce about 15 percent of today’s global solar capacity.

Countries ranked by land area and solar potential on former coal mines

India’s Solar Potential on Coal Mine Lands

India has over 500 square kilometers of such land. This land could support at least 27 GW of solar power, almost 37 percent of India’s total current solar capacity. Most of this land is in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, where mining has left large patches of damaged ground. But India still does not have a national plan to turn these abandoned sites into solar farms.

Hailey Deres, a researcher at Global Energy Monitor, said, “Acquiring land for global renewable energy targets has been rife with conflicts among stakeholders and decision-makers, so repurposing degraded lands could provide salient new benefits to former coal communities across the planet.”

Some projects already exist. For example, eight eco-parks have been built on old mine land in India to promote tourism and greenery. But large-scale solar projects haven’t started in most places. One big reason is the lack of clear rules for closing coal mines. When mining stops, companies often keep control of the land instead of returning it to local communities. This creates problems and delays for new projects.

Other countries are moving faster. China already has 90 working coal-to-solar projects with 14 GW of capacity and 46 more projects planned. Australia, the US, and Indonesia are also turning old mines into clean energy sites. These five countries, including India, hold most of the world’s potential for these conversions.

Ryan Driskell Tate, Associate Director at Global Energy Monitor, said, “We’ve seen what happens in coal communities when companies go bankrupt, axe the workers, and leave a mess behind. But mined-out coalfields harbor huge potential for powering a clean energy future. It’s already happening. We just need the right mix of incentives to put people to work building the next generation of solar in coal country.”

The shift from coal to solar could also bring jobs. GEM says that setting up solar farms on these old mines could create over 259,000 permanent jobs and more than 317,000 temporary ones. While this won’t fully replace the number of mining jobs that will be lost, it could help many people in areas where coal mines have shut down.

Some old coal mines are already being used in other ways. In India, the government is looking at over 20 abandoned mines for possible use in pumped hydro storage. This means storing energy in water reservoirs for later use. In the UK, heat from flooded coal mines is being used to warm homes. Other ideas include using mine land for battery storage, hydrogen storage, and even data centers.

Global Examples of Coal-to-Solar Projects

But many mines are still not properly closed. They are left without cleaning, backfilling, or replanting. This is often because there’s no money or rule that forces companies to finish the job. In India, the official rules don’t require full environmental cleanup before building new projects on mine land. That creates a risk of using solar energy as a cover while ignoring the damage caused by mining.

Provinces ranked by land availability from closed mines and those estimated to be closed by 2030-2031

In many areas, companies also failed to return land to local people after mining ended. In states like Jharkhand, this has led to anger and distrust. If the same land is used for solar projects without involving the local communities, it could repeat the same unfair practices from the coal era.

India has a big chance to turn its old coal mines into sources of clean energy. But to do that, the government must create clear rules, ensure proper mine closure, and protect land rights. Without these steps, solar projects may cause new problems instead of solving old ones. The land that once powered coal can now help power India’s clean energy future—if done the right way.

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