Flooded former coal mines in South Gloucestershire will be used to heat thousands of homes and businesses in a new plan to cut carbon emissions. The plan forms one part of a £10 million boost to climate projects across the West of England region.
Old coal mines naturally flood with water which is heated by geothermal processes, and the water can then be piped above ground for heating. This is a climate-friendly alternative to using traditional gas boilers, which burn fossil fuels and emit carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases.
The plan was welcomed by West of England metro mayor Dan Norris, who said it was “ironic” that coal mines could be one solution to climate change. The plan will be funded by Mr Norris’s green recovery fund, which is now increasing from £50 million to £60 million.
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The £10 million boost to the green recovery fund was agreed by the region’s political leaders at a West of England Combined Authority meeting on Friday, March 17. Other projects paid for by the fund include planting thousands of trees and helping to support struggling bees.
Mr Norris said: “This is the biggest challenge we face as a region, as a nation and as a planet. We’re investing in things like planting trees, creating green jobs and supporting pollinator projects to make sure our region is the UK’s bee and pollinator capital in the future.
“I can’t think of anything that would be more fantastic than to think what had contributed to carbon dioxide emissions over hundreds of years was then able to turn around and reduce them. There’s a kind of irony but also an important purpose there.”
The heat from coal mines project is being led by South Gloucestershire Council. The next stage is now to see how dated records of mines match up with the reality underground, as well as to assess the scale of demand for using the renewable and clean source of heat.
Council leader Toby Savage said: “We’re exploring how our coal mining heritage can sustainably help to meet the region’s future renewable heating and cooling needs. We have extensive mining heritage in parts of the district — in Kingswood, Mangotsfield, Coalpit Heath and Westerleigh — with over 40 coal seams and over 1,000 different mine entrances.
“The old mines are filled with flood water which is naturally heated by underground geological activity. Using heat pumps, the water temperature can be raised to the level required for space heating and domestic hot water. This could then be used to supply buildings such as schools, hospitals and offices, or a district heat network.
“We estimate that there are 26,000 homes and businesses that are located within the vicinity of former mine workings with a potential heat resource. Mine water can also possibly be used to provide cooling during the summer. The next stage of the project is to identify the scale of the potential heat and cooling demand within the broad areas of search.”
In future the flood water could be used to provide heat for Bristol’s district heat network. Swedish firm Vattenfall is planning to build a 20-kilometre pipe running from Avonmouth, past Cribbs Causeway and Southmead Hospital, and into the city centre. And this ‘strategic heat main’ could partly be powered from heat from former flooded coal mines.
Elsewhere, the green recovery fund includes money for planting trees, creating a Frome Valley River Reserve, retrofitting draughty homes with more efficient insulation, and expanding South Gloucestershire and Stroud College to help train up future green jobs.
Cllr Savage added: “The tree canopy project will see the planting of a further 2,000 trees, which will commence shortly across South Gloucestershire and complement the council’s own tree planting programme. Together this will help us sequester carbon, provide shading, support nature’s recovery, and help to keep areas cooler during future extreme heat events.”
Despite the extra cash agreed, the West of England still remains a long way off from meeting its climate target of net zero by 2030. Carbon emissions in the region have fallen from 8 million tonnes in 2005 to an estimated 4.6 million tonnes last year. If the region continues to cut its emissions at the current slow rate, analysis shows the net zero target will be missed by 3.3 million tonnes.
