Article on heating potential from abandoned coal mines
Southampton District Energy Scheme geothermal heating plant, UK (source: commons wikimedia, suitcivil)
Francisco Rojas
2 Jul 2014
In an academic article, the authors, Rafael Rodriguez Diez and Maria B. Diaz-Aguado discuss on limits for the geothermal energy potential of abandoned underground coal mines, demonstrating the vast multitude uses that geothermal can have.
Geothermal energy can not only be used for power generation, but – and likely in an even greater way – can provide heating in district heating systems.
There have been several projects in Canada and elsewhere, where abandoned coal mines have been flooded and the heated water being pumped to the service to serve for heating purposes. A consortium in Canada actually explored the overall concept for abandoned mines in the country.
In an academic article titled “Estimating Limits for the Geothermal Energy Potential of Abandoned Underground Coal Mines: A Simple Methodology” by Rafael Rodriguez Diez and Maria B. Diaz-Aguado discuss on limits for the geothermal energy potential of abandoned underground coal mines.
Flooded mine workings have good potential as low-enthalpy geothermal resources, which could be used for heating and cooling purposes, thus making use of the mines long after mining activity itself ceases. It would be useful to estimate the scale of the geothermal potential represented by abandoned and flooded underground mines in Europe.
From a few practical considerations, a procedure has been developed for assessing the geothermal energy potential of abandoned underground coal mines, as well as for quantifying the reduction in CO2 emissions associated with using the mines instead of conventional heating/cooling technologies. On this basis the authors have been able to estimate that the geothermal energy available from underground coal mines in Europe is on the order of several thousand megawatts thermal. Although this is a gross value, it can be considered a minimum, which in itself vindicates all efforts to investigate harnessing it.
For the full article in PDF, please click here
Source: Energies Website
