Adding geothermal into the UK’s heat mix – utilising old coal mines
With 23,000 abandoned coal mines, most of them flooded, they could provide a great opportunity to bring geothermal to the UK’s heating mix, so experts at the Durham Energy Institute.
In a long and enlightening article, Energy Post, describes the “limitless” opportunity of tapping into geothermal energy for heating in the United Kingdom, from the country’s old coal mines.
Quoting specialists from the Durham Energy Institute, the article points that “geothermal could meet (the UK)’s heat demand for at least 100 years”. Accessible heat in the UK lies furtunately beneath or close to major population centres of the country and about 23,000 abandoned coal mines are potentially deep heat sources.
The total heat storage capacity is estimated at 36,000,000 TWh. Geothermal energy is described as a great option to be added to the UK’s heat mix.
The great example of the Southampton District Energy Scheme is named, which utilises a heat source extracting 75 centigrades hot water from an aquifer in a depth of 1,800 meters. Local customers, such as a hospital, university and commercial premises have been heated by geothermal heat ever since it started operation in the mid-1980s.
Tapping into coal mines of the countries is described as easy win. They are all flooded and have been collecting heat, providing a hot water source for fueling the heating demand above.
For the full article click link below.
Source: Energy Post