For decades, abandoned coal mines have been seen as relics of Britain’s industrial past, but a new project in Seaham is proving they could play a key role in the future of home heating.
By harnessing warm water trapped underground, 750 homes will be supplied with a renewable, low-carbon heat source, offering an alternative to gas boilers.
This initiative is part of a broader push to explore mine water as a potential energy source, with similar projects already being trialed across the UK.
Using disused mines to heat homes
A new project in Seaham, County Durham, is using warm water from abandoned coal mines to heat 750 homes.
The project, led by Durham County Council in partnership with Karbon Homes and Esh Group, is part of a broader effort to explore mine water as an energy source.
The Seaham Energy Centre, located next to the Dawdon mine water treatment scheme, will extract water from deep underground, where it has been naturally heated by the Earth.
How is coal mine water used to heat homes
Underground water in old coal mines naturally maintains a stable temperature.
At the Seaham Energy Centre, this water is extracted and passed through heat pumps, which raise the temperature to a level suitable for heating homes. The system is designed to reduce carbon emissions while keeping heating costs down.
Richard Bond, Innovation and Services Director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said: “This scheme is a significant step in using mine water heat as a practical alternative to fossil fuels. There is scope for similar projects across other former coalfield regions.”
Potential for expansion
The Seaham project is part of a wider effort to explore mine water heating as a long-term energy solution.
There are over 80 mine water treatment schemes across the UK, with an estimated 6 million homes being able to benefit from disused coal mines as a heating source.
Gateshead has already implemented a mine water heat network, and further expansion could see more homes, schools, and businesses benefit from this technology.
Councillor Mark Wilkes of Durham County Council said: “This is the first large-scale mine water heat project using a treatment scheme, and it could help shape the future of low-carbon heating in the UK.”
