Are the UK’s disused mines part of our clean-energy future?
The Mining Remediation Authority is exploring the full potential of mine-water heat
Natural heat beneath our feet
Finding and developing sustainable, secure and homegrown alternatives to the gas most of us rely on to heat our homes and water is an essential part of the UK’s journey to net zero.
Would it surprise you to learn part of the solution might be underground, hidden beneath our feet?
The abandoned coal mines that once powered Britain hold warm water, heated naturally by geothermal energy.
Also underground in the UK is a network of over 14,000 heat networks serving around half a million households and providing 3% of our heat consumption.
The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) is working to make a better future for people and the environment in mining areas.
Following the launch of four successful schemes in Great Britain, a team from Deloitte has worked with the organisation’s experts to analyse the potential of mine-water heat, used in heat networks and large spaces, such as warehouses, as a mainstream heat source for British homes and businesses.
A new purpose for 200-year-old mine workings
Two centuries after their heyday, how could Britain’s coal mines find a new, cleaner solution to 21st-century problems?
Helping to heat a community the coal industry once served, Gateshead’s Mine Water Heat Scheme provides an inspiring example of what’s possible.
While operational, the former coal mining infrastructure in Great Britain was pumped to stay dry. But when mines closed and pumping ceased, water levels recovered, filling the infrastructure with water that is geothermally heated.
The scheme at Gateshead makes the most of this resource, using boreholes to access this water and extracting heat for use via heat exchangers and heat pumps.
Solar-generated power further boosts the water’s temperature before it’s distributed via an underground heat network, providing secure, low-carbon heating to hundreds of buildings.
Operated by the council-owned Gateshead Energy Company, the scheme is supported by a combination of its own and government funding.
In additional projects involving private sector organisations, Gateshead-based Lanchester Wines and Thermal Earth in Ammanford are already heating wine warehousing and head offices.
“Projects like this are fantastic examples of bringing people together in communities to create the new, cleaner homegrown energy sources we need,” says Matthew Guest, a partner at Deloitte.
“They have the potential not only to be part of the UK’s clean energy future, but also to boost local jobs, skills and economies.”
“Mine-water heat offers an exciting opportunity to turn a legacy into a geo-energy asset for future generations.”
Richard Bond, Innovation & Services Director Mining Remediation Authority
Making the most of heat networks
With schemes ranging from small building clusters to larger parts of cities, heat networks are sometimes known as district heating systems.
That’s because the technology and power needed to run them is shared, avoiding the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.
“As we move towards the UK’s net-zero targets, the UK government estimates that up to 20% of UK homes will be heated through a heat network by 2050, compared to 3% today,” Matthew continues.
“So, work is well underway to explore solutions that can make the most efficient use of these networks and to expand them.”
As the combined heat and power plants (CHPs) that power most of today’s UK heat networks don’t use clean energy, the challenge ahead isn’t only to increase adoption but also to find and develop the cleanest, most energy-efficient sources to power them.
Projects like Gateshead and Thermal Earth show the potential of mine-water heat to offer part of this solution.
But how many other mines are close enough to current or future heat networks to follow these examples?
And how can the required investment, energy and expertise be channelled towards communities in the best position to benefit from mine-water heat?
From ambition to solution
A team from Deloitte and experts from the MRA put their heads together to explore the viability of mine-water heat as a mainstream source of heat for British homes and businesses.
Deloitte’s multi-disciplinary team applied expertise in data analysis, geospatial mapping, financial modelling, stakeholder engagement and sustainable infrastructure development. This, combined with expertise and insight from the MRA and wider industry, ensured practical and experience-grounded recommendations were made.
The result was a comprehensive analysis of the potential of mine-water heat, deployed in conjunction with heat networks, to provide specific areas with clean and affordable energy. Based on this, a roadmap was created for the development of solutions with the potential to heat 600,000 homes and businesses across Great Britain.
“From understanding the geographical alignment of mines, networks and local demand to exploring the commercial landscape needed to attract private investment, it’s an interesting and complex issue with a lot of moving parts,” Matthew concludes.
“Looking ahead, we hope this analysis can support the MRA, industries and sectors to align and make the progress needed to unlock this potential, contributing to the UK’s sustainable progress.”
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