Disused coal mines beneath South Gloucestershire could hold the potential to heat tens of thousands of homes, experts say. South Gloucestershire Council is investigating "affordable, non-polluting alternatives to energy sources such as gas and oil" and suspects there could be an option underground.
The authority says under Mangotsfield, Westerleigh and Kingswood alone there are 42 coal seams and more than a thousand mine entrances. Most of these were worked in the 19th century but a few remained in use up until the 1920s.
It is now considering the use of former mine workings in the district as a source of renewable heating and cooling for new and existing buildings. A council spokesperson said: "An initial study of records of local disused and abandoned coal mines was carried out by the Coal Authority in July, which identified a number of areas of interest.
