Boost for mine water heat revolution

Think drilling into coal mine workings is too risky for mine water heat schemes? Think again!

The challenge: Perceptions of drilling into abandoned coal mines often focus on high risk and low success, especially when targeting mine voids for heat network schemes.

New study shows 87% of coalfield boreholes succeed, busting myths around drilling risks and boosting confidence in mine water heat for green energy.

A new study from the Mining Remediation Authority busts myths around the risks of drilling into abandoned coal mines for mine water heat schemes. The research provides the strongest evidence yet that this low-carbon technology is technically achievable, cost-effective and ready to scale, offering a major boost to the UK’s ambitions for clean, secure, and locally sourced energy.

What they did: analysed 564 boreholes drilled across Great Britain to assess how often they hit their targets and delivered on their purpose.

What they found: 87% of boreholes were suitable for their original purpose More than 75% success rate for hitting targeted mine voids 97% success rate for deeper boreholes (more than 300m) 

Drilling into mine workings isn’t guesswork, it’s a proven science when done right.

How this helps: This study gives planners, developers, and policymakers the confidence to move forward with mine water heat, cooling, and storage schemes, backed by real data.

Source: Mining Remediation Authority