Up to 300 GW of solar power could be installed at closed coal mines worldwide by 2030. Australia, China, the US, Indonesia, and India have the largest concentrations of areas suitable for solar development on former mines. China is spearheading a global drive to transform decommissioned coal mining sites into vast solar power projects, turning environmental liabilities into renewable energy assets and underscoring its dual commitment to decarbonization and land rehabilitation, according to a recently released report. Mine conversion boosts local employment, environmental cleanup, and. 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.