Energy Transition: How Coal Mines Could Go Solar

Coal mine-to-solar conversions are already happening in some countries, most notably China, which leads the world in solar uptake (Credit: AFP)

Disused coal mines could be refashioned to place vast fields of solar panels, a new report suggests, providing an unlikely solution to a common obstacle to uptake of the green energy source.

Hundreds of decommissioned surface coal mines worldwide offer an alternative to tracts of land that might be needed for food or housing, according to Global Energy Monitor (GEM), an non-governmental organisation focused on fossil fuel and renewable energy projects.