Biothermica’s pioneering VAMOX® coal mine ventilation air methane (VAM) abatement system has been fully operational since March 2009 at Walter Energy’s Mine No. 4 in Brookwood, Alabama. This VAMOX® project represents the first VAM abatement initiative at an active mine in the USA. See the brochure by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Over the first four years of operation, the effective availability of the system has been 93%. As of March 2013, a total of 80,766 tCO2e had been abated by the project and verified by an independent third party in accordance with the requirements of the rigorous U.S. Climate Action reserve standard.
Based on the success of this project, Biothermica and Walter Energy have recently partnered to develop VAM abatement projects at all of Walter Energy’s suitable ventilation shafts. Future full-scale VAMOX® systems will have a capacity of about 130,000 ft3/min and multiple units will be installed in parallel to process greater air flows.