If abandoned coal mines globally had new life as solar farms, an analysis conducted by Global Energy Monitor predicted an additional 300 gigawatts of renewable energy would be generated by 2030. The report titled, Bright Side of the Mine , conducted a worldwide survey of surface coal mines closed in the last five years starting in 2020 and ones , Repurposing abandoned coal mines as solar energy facilities could add a hefty 15% to the world’s capacity or 300GW in total, a report from the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) has found. Some 312 surface coal mines that have been idled and degraded since 2020 were identified that collectively take sprawl over 2,089km² – an area nearly the size , Recently shuttered coal mines around the world can have new life as solar farms, potentially adding nearly 300 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy by 2030, a first-of-its-kind analysis by researchers from Global Energy Monitor (GEM) has found. GEM’s Bright side of the mine report identified 312 surface , Repurposing abandoned coal mines into solar energy facilities could boost global solar capacity by an impressive 300 gigawatts (GW), equivalent to roughly 15% of current global capacity, according to a new report by the Global Energy Monitor (GEM). The study identified 312 surface coal mines, idle and degraded since 2020, spanning over 2,089 square kilometers, an area nearly the size of , In a landmark report released this month, Global Energy Monitor reveals that converting recently closed and soon-to-be-retired coal mines into solar farms could boost global solar capacity by , .