Milestone in mine water heat project as work starts
A key milestone has been reached in one of the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat projects,
with work now underway.
Durham County Council is working with a number of organisations to deliver the project, which
will ultimately see mine water used to heat homes on a new sustainable community, near Seaham.
The authority has teamed up with the Mining Remediation Authority and Karbon Homes, to heat
750 affordable homes on the Seaham Garden Village development. The ultra-low carbon district
heat network has thus far received more than £4m in government funding.
All legal and land agreements were recently completed, including the appointment of Vital
Energi to design, build and operate the ultra-low carbon district heat network that will heat half of
the homes on the new garden village. With the agreements in place, Vital has begun work to
construct the energy centre, which will take heat to those homes.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate
change, said: “We are delighted to have started work on what will be the UK’s first large-scale mine
water heat project using a mine water treatment scheme, right here in County Durham.
“This innovative project will have significant environmental benefits – making use of currently
untapped heat to keep houses warm, and, in doing so, avoiding the need to use non-renewable
sources of energy.
“The affordable properties will also provide a welcome boost to County Durham residents looking
to get on the housing ladder; while the prospect of more homes, a school and innovation hubs in the
future will, we hope, attract people looking for somewhere to live, families and those seeking work.
Continues…
“A lot of planning has gone into this project in recent years involving a number of organisations
and it’s therefore really exciting to have all the necessary agreements in place and work starting on
the ground.”
The project will harness mine water treated at the Mining Remediation Authority’s Dawdon Mine
Water Treatment Scheme. Water is extracted from the former coal workings to protect the
groundwater aquifer which provides drinking water to local households. This water is extracted at
19-20 degrees throughout the year, is treated to remove heavy metals and is then discharged out to
sea. The heat currently dissipates into the atmosphere.
However, under the council-led project, the heat from the extracted water will instead feed into
the ultra-low carbon district heat network. A new energy centre will increase the water temperature
through a heat exchange and the water will then be provided to the new homes through a new pipe
network.
The mine water project has received £4.3m from the government’s Heat Networks Investment
Project; including £3.23m towards construction.
Richard Bond, Innovation and Services Director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said: “This
scheme is a further milestone in our journey to harness mine water heat to provide sustainable
heating solutions across the former coalfields. It opens up possibilities to use our treatment facilities
across the UK, where warm water is already being pumped to the surface.
“With over 80 mine water treatment schemes across the UK, we see great potential to deliver
dual-purpose facilities that protect water supplies and generate renewable heat. Whether accessing
mine water heat via our treatment schemes or boreholes, the Mining Remediation Authority is
proud to offer innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions by repurposing the amazing UK coal-
mining heritage.”
Granted garden village status by the government in 2019, Seaham Garden Village will be built
over the next ten years. It will comprise 1,500 homes, 750 being developed for private sale by Taylor
Wimpey and Miller Homes and 750 being developed for affordable tenures by Karbon, as well as a
new village centre, primary school and innovation hubs.
The 750 affordable homes delivered by Karbon, the first phase of which is underway with Karbon’s
construction partner Esh Group, will connect to the network.
Paul Fiddaman, Chief Executive of Karbon Homes, said: “Our involvement in the delivery of
Seaham Garden Village shows our commitment to investing in the area, working with our
construction partner Esh Group to build new affordable homes that help meet local housing need.
“With further commitments to ensuring the homes we build are of the highest quality and energy
efficiency, it’s fantastic to partner with Durham County Council and the Mining Remediation
Authority to connect our homes to this innovative low carbon heat system, one of the first of its kind
in the country.
Continues…
“Paired with boasting a range of energy efficiency technologies, like solar PV panels, these homes
will be well on the way to net zero.”
The new homes from Karbon are part-funded by Homes England, through the housing association’s
Strategic Partnership with the government’s housing delivery agency.
The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with £165m in funding, to deliver 2,200 new
affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire over the next few years.
To find out more, visit https://seahamgardenvillage.co.uk/
