Families moving into new affordable homes at Seaham Garden
Village are now benefiting from clean, secure and reasonably
priced heating, powered by water from abandoned coal mines
beneath their feet.
A new energy centre that will supply around 750 homes with
low-carbon heat extracted from naturally warm mine water at the
Mining Remediation Authority's Dawdon treatment scheme recently
went live and has now successfully completed the commissioning
phase, confirming the network is fully operational.
This is the latest mine water heat network to go live in Great
Britain, delivering clean, secure, and reasonably priced heat to
local communities by making use of mine water already being
pumped to the surface. It's a significant step forward in
repurposing the country's industrial heritage to benefit the
people who live there today.The scheme, a collaboration between
the Mining Remediation Authority, Karbon Homes, Esh Group, Vital
Energi and Durham County Council, delivers a clean, secure and
stable source of heat for local communities by making use of a
nationalised asset already in public ownership.
It also brings environmental benefits, with an estimated saving
of 2,600 tonnes of CO2 annually, equating to nearly 65,000 tonnes
of carbon emissions avoided over 25 years.
Mine water is naturally heated by geothermal processes deep
underground and maintains a stable temperature year-round.
At Seaham, the existing Dawdon mine water
treatment scheme now serves a dual purpose: protecting local
drinking water supplies while providing renewable heat to homes.
The energy centre uses heat exchangers and a heat pump to extract
and boost the heat from the mine water and distribute it through
a district network. This delivers consistent, low-carbon heating
and hot water to residents, helping protect families from
volatile energy prices.
The 750 homes that will benefit from the scheme form part of
Seaham Garden Village, a wider 1,500-home development on Durham's
heritage coast. The heat network received funding through the
government's Heat Networks Investment Project.
, head of Innovation,
By-Products and Services Delivery at the Mining Remediation
Authority, said:
It is exciting to see our Dawdon mine water treatment scheme
successfully transition to dual use, continuing to safeguard
water while now supplying sustainable heat to local homes.
Seaham Garden Village shows how geothermal energy from disused
mines can be replicated across the country.
This project is proof of how innovation and partnership can
unlock clean, affordable heating for communities today.
Rob Callaghan, managing director at Vital Community Energi, said:
I am proud that Seaham Garden Village will operate under our
complete Energy Services Company (ESCo), marking another
significant milestone in the expansion of our owned and operated
heat networks.
As with all our ESCo
projects, customers remain our top priority. That is why we have
ensured residents benefit from stable and efficient heating and
hot water, delivering lasting benefits into a community directly
affected by the closure of the mines.
Sarah Robson, executive director of development and asset
management at Karbon Homes, said:
Lowering the carbon footprint of our homes and operations, whilst
also positively impacting the lives of our customers is really
important to us. Residents have been moving in since the
beginning of the year, and they are delighted with their new
homes and the mine water heating.
Councillor Kyle Genner, cabinet member for neighbourhoods,
environment and police relations at Durham County Council, said:
We're really pleased to have helped facilitate this scheme which
will ensure that people can live in affordable homes at Seaham
Garden Village.
This project makes impressive use of the legacy left by our coal
mining heritage, using mine water to create a heat network
supplying heat and hot water to around 750 homes.
This is an exciting emerging option for heating our homes, and
we're looking closely to see where else it might be viable in the
future.
An estimated 25% of Great Britain's homes and businesses are
located above former coal mines, creating significant potential
for similar schemes across Britain's coalfield communities.
The Mining Remediation Authority operates more than 80 mine water
treatment schemes nationwide, many of which could be adapted to
provide renewable heat.
This project builds on successful mine water heating schemes
already operating in Gateshead and Wales, demonstrating how
former mining regions can lead the transition to clean energy.
By harnessing locally available geothermal resources, these
communities are reducing carbon emissions while creating
employment opportunities in green technology.
The scheme supports the government's Plan for Change mission to
make Britain a clean energy superpower, working towards at least
95% clean power generation by 2030 while protecting billpayers
and creating good jobs across the country.
Anyone interested in exploring mine water heat opportunities can
find out more and get in touch with the Mining Remediation
Authority's Heat and By-Product Innovation Team at HeatandBy-ProductInnovationTeam@coal.gov.uk.
