Scholarly record

POTENTIAL USE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FROM ABANDONED COAL MINES (REMINING-LOWEX PROJECT)

P. OP’T Veld, E. J. A. ERWIN Roijen, K. Bojadgieva, A. Benderev, V. Ristov, T. Kehaiov

Abstract

Rocks deep below the surface store heat and for every 100 m in depth the temperature increases by approximately 3oC. When the mines were closed, the mine galleries flooded. The heat of the rocks warms water, which is used as input to heat pumps for heating and cooling of buildings. The Remining-Lowex Project aims to demonstrate the use of water in abandoned coalmines as a source of renewable energy and to prove its economic viability. This new approach for utilization of sustainable energy from worked out coalmines has been initiated in several countries – Canada, Netherlands, UK, France and Germany. Recently three countries from Eastern Europe – Slovenia, Poland and Bulgaria have joined as partners under the Remining-Lowex Project. Its full title is: Redevelopment of European Mining Areas into Sustainable Communities by Integrating Supply and Demand Side based on Low Exergy Principals (Concerto II programme). Four local communities (Heerlen, Netherlands; Zagorje, Slovenia; Czeladz, Poland and Cherno more, Bulgaria) are focused around former coal mining areas that will once again be used as a source of energy. The four selected sites are at different stage of development and of specific mining conditions. For the pilot project in Heerlen the urban designs, energy visions plans, financial support from the city council and building activities are in place. Exploration and development of mine water technology indicate a substantial contribution to a local energy supply. In the community of Zagorje there is no expertise on application of mine water but some experience in geothermal energy use in low-exergy schemes exists. Feasibility studies will be carried out in Poland and Bulgaria. The mining areas in Poland are very important, as they are one of the largest in Europe. The coal mine Cherno more (Bourgas community) has been closed up for more than 20 years. The expected flow rate from the mine is about 70 l/s with a temperature of about 18-20oC. This site provides favorable conditions for a complex use of renewable sources – geothermal, solar and biomass. Feasibility studies leading to concrete local sustainable energy plans and implementation will be demonstrated in these communities.

Publication details

Back to publication list