Mine water is heated subject for conference

HEAT from water in mine shafts could produce low-cost clean heat supplies for former pit villages in the future, a conference at the National Coal Mining Museum will be told next week.

As the region emerges from the icy grip of one of the coldest winters for 30 years, the museum, near Wakefield, is focusing attention on new technology, producing low-carbon, large-scale heating from abandoned mine water. It is hosting a conference on Monday to showcase alternative methods of heating, utilising heat-pump technology and the water from closed coal mines.

Abandoned mines fill with water that is warmer than above-ground temperatures; when pumped to the surface, the heat from the water can be extracted for use to heat large complexes of buildings, such as housing estates or business parks.

Speakers with direct experience of implementing such systems will be participating in the event, with an overview of successful schemes internationally and the potential for installation of such systems in Yorkshire and the UK in general.

The Coal Authority and CO2Sense Yorkshire have provided funding for the event, which is free to anyone wishing to attend.

Both groups are providing speakers, along with the Environment Agency, Earth Energy and a representative from Holland describing the use of coal mine water and heat-pump technology in the Netherlands.

Other speakers include Rosie Winterton MP, the Minister for Yorkshire, who will open the conference.

Mrs Winterton said: “Yorkshire and the Humber has a proud history of energy production.

“Thanks to our unique geology, geography and a skilled and motivated workforce we can continue this tradition as the world shifts towards more sustainable forms of energy generation.

“It would be an excellent legacy of our Yorkshire miners if the heat from the water in the mine shafts they dug could produce low cost clean heat supplies for their former pit villages in the future.”

The numbers of delegates who can attend the conference are limited to 200 and uptake is expected to be high.