The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has thrown its weight behind a £1.6m study to investigate the use of heat from flooded mine shafts to heat homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings.
Almost a quarter of the region's homes sit above old coal mines which have been flooded with water. Using heat pumps, the naturally warm water could be used to heat 100,000-plus homes as well as other buildings.
Mayor Dan Norris said: ‘The synergy is fantastic that mines that contributed to CO2 emissions could now hold the key to clean, green energy. Generating home-grown energy also gives us the chance of cheaper bills, new high paid jobs and energy security from tyrants like Putin.’
Gareth Farr, head of Heat at the Coal Authority, said: ‘The Coal Authority is committed to facilitating mine water heat networks across Great Britain.
‘We hope that the industrial heritage of coal mining in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority will also be able to support mine water heat networks in the future.’
