The conventional energy-transition pathway, that is, reducing coal, increasing gas, and developing renewable energies, cannot fully satisfy the requirement of China for energy security under the new situation. Creating a novel dynamic carbon neutrality mode for coal-based energy systems is a forward-looking development approach to solving the problem of high carbon emissions and ensuring national energy security. This study summarizes the international energy transition modes and analyzes the urgency and importance of developing a low-carbon coal-based energy system in response to the challenges of energy security and emissions reduction. Moreover, it clarifies the scientific intension, establishes a system framework, and discloses the security guarantee and emissions reduction mechanisms of the dynamic carbon neutrality mode for coal-based energy systems. An effectiveness assessment model based on system dynamics is established to assess the effectiveness of the mode in terms of energy security, emission reduction,and social development. The results indicate that compared to the conventional coal-fueled systems, the coal-based energy system can potentially reduce carbon emissions by 46% to 55% and external dependence on oil and gas to be below 20% in 2060 under different scenarios; the carbon emissions can be reduced by 84% using the dynamic carbon neutrality mode and the carbon capture and storage technology, and is expected to be further lowered owing to the carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology and carbon sinks in mining areas. Coal-based energy development and application can serve as a strategic technology for oil and gas reserves, thereby ensuring energy security. However, China still faces a significant oil and gas gap before 2030, and thus the development of the coalbased energy is urgent. Furthermore, we propose that a novel coal-based energy system supported by dynamic carbon neutrality technologies should be built to achieve energy independence and security as well as achieve the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Coal underground gasification, tar-rich coal utilization, and coalbed gas development technologies should be regarded as a potential technology portfolio in the short and medium term and the coal in-situ fluidization mining technology could be a long-term choice.

The coal industry in China urgently needs to seek a low-carbon development path as the country continues to promote its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. By utilizing the advantages of energy resources in coal mines and achieving material – energy cycle transformation, the utilization efficiency of energy resources can be improved. This study starts from the perspective of efficient utilization of coal mine energy resources, analyzes the current status of coal mine energy resource utilization, and summarizes the challenges and trends of coal mine energy resource utilization. It explores key technologies for the efficient utilization of coal and coal-associated resources, multi-link material–energy cycle utilization mode in coal mine production, topology construction method for efficient utilization of material–energy cycle in coal mine under dynamic evolution of resources, and optimization and scheduling techniques for integrated energy systems in coal mines. The development path for the efficient utilization of energy resources in coal mines is expounded by stages. Furthermore, research suggests that policy guidance and technological innovation should be strengthened to promote the efficient utilization of coal, coal-associated resources, and underground space. A coal mine integrated energy microgrid should be built, and the optimal combination of energy sources and the application of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology should be promoted. A fine scheduling platform for coal mine integrated energy microgrid should be developed to realize safe and efficient utilization of coal mine resources.

Currently, the isolated development of energy in the coal mining areas and the energy supply mode based on coal power generation and grid power supply can no longer satisfy the requirements for implementing clean coal-mining and building a new energy development pattern that is green, low-carbon, and recyclable. Therefore, it is necessary to build integrated energy microgrids in the coal mining areas to enhance the comprehensive utilization of energy and control carbon emissions in these areas. This study explores the demand for and natural advantages of integrated energy microgrids application in the coal mining areas, proposes an integrated energy microgrid framework, and analyzes the development elements of the framework: new energy generation, energy storage, associated energy utilization, multi-energy coupling, and optimal scheduling of energy. A material‒energy‒carbon hub model is established in the coal mining areas, realizing low-carbon operation optimization based on carbon ‒ energy synergy of integrated energy microgrids in typical coal mining areas. The results indicate that the application of integrated energy microgrids in coal mining areas can fully exploit and efficiently integrate the advantages of resources such as wind, solar energy, gas, air heat, and gushing water heat, and energy storage devices can further improve the match degree between energy supply and load demand, thereby reducing the amount of power purchased from the power grid and the carbon emissions from electricity consumption in the coal mining areas. The low-carbon operation optimization process takes into account the carbon‒energy coupling of various types of equipment and supports the formulation of low-carbon and economical operation strategies. This study is expected to provide new concepts and technical support for the high-quality economic and social development of coal mining areas.

Coal machinery is crucial for the technological transformation of coal mining and the coal production system. Driven by the carbon peaking and carbon neutralization goals and the wave of intelligent coal mine construction, China’s coal machinery industry will transform and upgrade toward intelligence, green, safety, and efficiency. Opportunities and challenges coexist in the coal machinery market, and development of intelligent technologies and machinery for coal mining has become an urgent demand. This study is based on the development reality in China that intelligent coal mining is still in its early stage and sorts out the current status and trends of intelligent technologies and machinery for coal mining. Moreover, it analyzes the key technology system of intelligent coal machinery, covering intelligent coalmine equipment support, intelligent fully mechanized mining and caving, intelligent rapid excavation, intelligent perception and control of main/auxiliary transportation systems, and coalmine robot technologies. Moreover, development directions are proposed, including key basic materials and advanced processing techniques, flexible manufacturing and virtual simulation, equipment remanufacturing, deep fusion of 5G with industrial Internet, industrial big data and artificial intelligence, intelligent perception and interconnection by the Internet of Things, and cyber-physical and digital twin systems. Furthermore, we suggest to strengthen breakthroughs in intelligent technologies and machinery for coal mining, improve the talent support system, emphasize both plan guidance and industrial layout optimization, and establish an innovative ecosystem for coal machinery research and manufacture, thereby promoting the high-quality development of coal machinery.

The coal industry is crucial for guaranteeing China’s energy security and achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutralization (i.e., “dual carbon”) goals. Therefore, it is imperative to formulate a carbon neutralization strategy for the coal industry from a top-level design perspective. Considering China’s basic national conditions and regional characteristics, this study elaborates the strategic conception of carbon neutralization of the coal industry from the aspects of development concept, expected goals, and key directions, and clarifies specific implementation paths. Specifically, the core concept is to achieve the “dual carbon” goals by both considering regional disparities and promoting regional coordination; based on an overall planning nationwide, the coal energy production, coal energy application, and new energy coupling zones should be scientifically classified, thus to realize the “dual carbon” goals by region and step. The development concept can be implemented via three stages: peak attainment, orderly optimization, and neutralization attainment, and the implementation path can be detailed as carbon emission reduction, carbon substitution, carbon sequestration, and carbon recycling. Moreover, efforts should focus on breakthroughs in the following applied technologies: intelligent and precise mining and clean and efficient utilization of coal, exploitation and utilization of coal mine gas at full concentration, pumped storage of abandoned mines, energy storage and power consumption, coupling of clean coal power with carbon capture, utilization and storage, efficiently replacing of coalbed methane with CO2, CO2 bio/chemical utilization, and green ecological restoration of mines. Relevant research can provide a pioneering and fundamental reference for the coal industry to realize the “dual carbon” goals.