Construction has begun on a project that will use hot water from disused coal mines to heat nearby homes.
The Energy Centre, being built next to the Mining Remediation Authority’s Dawdon mine water treatment scheme in County Durham, will tap into mine water already being treated there. By utilising water already being pumped to the surface, this project marks a crucial step forward in expanding renewable heat solutions across former coalfield areas.
The mine treatment scheme will provide heat for a new housing development as well as protecting a drinking water source.
Seaham Garden Village is a new community located to the south of Seaham, comprising 1,500 homes, a new primary school, village centre and innovation hubs. The mine water heating will provide heat to 750 of the homes on the development, delivered by northern housing association Karbon Homes, in partnership with Esh Group. Heat from the warm mine water will be upgraded to domestic heating levels via a heat pump.
Vital Energi has been appointed to design, build and operate the low-carbon system, and will run the district heat network for the next 40 years.
The district heat network project has been led by Durham County Council, with the Mining Remediation Authority spearheading the development of the mine water heating initiative. The project benefited from a grant from the Government’s Heat Networks Investment Project.