Low-carbon after-life: Sustainable use of flooded coal mine voids as a thermal energy source : a baseline activity for minimising post-closure environmental risks (LoCAL) : final report

The LoCAL project aimed at facilitating wider use of thermal energy from mine water for both heating and cooling purposes. In order to achieve that, LoCAL project have developed new technical tools and have tested them on pilot implementations in 3 countries. In particular, the project have provided bespoke tools for investigating flow and heat transfer in flooded mine workings. New tools for quantifying and modelling heat transfer in networks of flooded mine workings have been also developed . Another aspect of LoCAL project was to overcome the hydrochemical barriers to effective heat transfer from raw and treated mine waters. Ochre clogging is a well-known phenomenon which affects a lot of mine water heating and cooling systems. LoCAL project not only covered technical and engineering issues, but also provided economic and management models for efficient energy extraction and distribution. Technical, legal, managerial and cost-benefit analyses of various types of decentralised and centralised heat pump systems have been carried out. Project activities were simultaneously undertaken in mining areas of UK, Spain and Poland by research organizations in partnership with industrial enterprises. University of Glasgow in partnership with Alkane Energy Ltd. have implemented pilot applications in UK: Caphouse Colliery, Overton, near Wakefield, Yorkshire and Markham Colliery, Bolsover, Derbyshire. In Spain University of Oviedo and industrial partner HUNOSA have performed pilot implementation at Barredo shaft in Mieres, Asturias, while in Poland Central Mining Institute in partnership with Armada Development have performed pilot application in former Szombierki mine at Bytom, Upper Silesian Coal Basin.