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Mine Water Heat Opportunities Framework 2024 to 2027
We are pleased to share our Mine Water Heat Framework for 2024-2027. This explains our work to date in influencing and enabling mine water heat schemes in line with our 2022-2025 Business Plan and demonstrates how we will work with others to develop further opportunities over the next 3 years.
The Coal Authority are a practical operational organisation and focus on using our technical expertise and professionalism to keep coalfield communities and environments safe.
Our ongoing innovation programme continues to consider opportunities for creating financial, social and environmental value to minimise costs for the taxpayer, reduce waste, support the circular economy and contribute to our ambition to be a net zero organisation by 2030. We also continue to seek to deliver beyond our remit by supporting key government priorities across England, Scotland and Wales such as net zero. This is in line with the priorities outlined in our Sustainability Plan 2023 – 2026, our Business Plan and our 10 year vision.
The decarbonisation of heat in buildings is critical to UK plans to reach net zero by 2050, as it accounts for 37% of total UK carbon emissions, with only 5% of home heating currently being low carbon.
Mine Water heat is our most exciting opportunity to help develop zero carbon heat opportunities as we estimate that 25% of properties are located on the coal mining reporting area, including major conurbations in England, Scotland and Wales.
Our work with Gateshead Council has seen the successful launch of the first large scale Mine Water Heat Network in Great Britain in March 2023; a project delivered in just three years. This, coupled with the pioneering work by Lanchester Wines in Durham to use mine water for large space heating, prove that this technology works in Great Britain. Beyond net zero targets, mine water heat can also deliver energy security, green jobs and contribute to levelling up.
We know that Mine Water Heat uses established technology, but it remains a newly emerging heat source within Great Britain. We recognise that we have an important part to play in establishing this as a key part of Heat Policy across England, Scotland and Wales. In addition, we know it is essential we develop private and public sector understanding of the opportunity and ensure early schemes generate consumer confidence.
To help achieve this we recognise that working with private and public organisations possessing complementary skills and expertise will allow us to maximise value and impact. To encourage this we will ensure we remain an organisation that embraces innovative approaches and that is easy to work with.
Our people are core to the delivery of this framework. We know it is important that everyone understands the opportunities that are available to the organisation and that they are critical considerations as we evolve of our ways of operation and service delivery in response to the changing world around us.
We will continue our programme of research and development, working with key partners to understand how to maximise the opportunity for mine water heat. We will continue to liaise with other international projects sharing mutual learnings and using these to help inform best practice. We will extend this to develop knowledge of how cooling and storage of heat generated by other low carbon sources can also become part of our net zero offering.
Over the next three years, we will continue to strengthen existing relationships and seek additional opportunities to develop schemes in England, Scotland and Wales. As our experience grows we will also begin to consider the opportunities for Great Britain to export our mine water heat skills and knowledge internationally.
This is an exciting time to be part of the evolution of the coal mining infrastructure, helping it to take its place as part of Great Britain’s Low Carbon Future delivering secure, stable priced heat.
The Coal Authority are keen to build on the success to date, working with enterprising organisations from across the Private and Public sector to maximise the impact of this proven technology. This framework might be the first step on your Mine Water Heat journey, but we want to work with you to develop the potential opportunities this technology could deliver to your organisation or community.
Supporting documents
