News-Milestone in mine water heat project as work starts

We are 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.

We have 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, our 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.

"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 project which we lead, 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.

"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.