Mine water living laboratory launched
A research initiative designed to expand the potential of mine water heat technology has been launched.
The initiative is called the ‘Living Laboratory’ and is based in Gateshead, UK, says the Mining Remediation Authority.
This is reportedly the only location in the world where thermal and hydrogeological behaviour can be studied between operational mine water heat schemes within the Walker mining block in Tyne and Wear.
The Living Laboratory is situated in the vicinity of three mine water heat schemes.
This includes Gateshead Energy Company’s mine water heat network and another privately funded scheme at Lanchester Wines warehouses.
The data is available open access to view online, to allow researchers, regulators, stakeholders and academic institutions to make use of the outcomes.
This is part of the UK Geoenergy Observatories project, comprising two at-scale facilities for research and innovation into shallow geothermal and underground thermal energy storage.
The data generated will complement the research work under way at the mine water energy observatory developed in Glasgow by the British Geological Survey (BGS).
Dr Fiona Todd, a geoscientist at the Mining Remediation Authority who led the project, says, ‘Our Living Laboratory will provide invaluable insights into the behaviour of mine water heat systems and help us understand how multiple schemes co-exist within the same region.
‘This research is crucial for maximising the opportunity presented by mine water heat and supporting its development as a reliable, low-carbon heat source across the UK.’
It is hoped that this project will support the development of schemes across the country and is supported by Gateshead Council.
A YouTube video on the facility is available: The Gateshead Mine Water Heat ‘Living Laboratory’ explained.
