Geothermal energy needs to be part of the UK’s decarbonisation strategy. But not high temperature geothermal as you’re probably thinking: I’m interested in low temperature direct heating.
Heat pumps can convert low temperatures into useful energy. The source for these heat pumps could be the air, a river, a loch, the ground or mine workings. I’m most interested in this last option: abandoned flooded mine workings.
Abandoned flooded mine workings could provide a significant source of heat in Scotland – I’ve calculated the sustainable amount of heat available to be ~8% of Scotland’s annual domestic heating demand. And the good thing about mine workings is that they are located close to our population centres. The main collieries in Scotland were in the central lowlands where >60% of the population lives.
I’m investigating the potential of abandoned mine workings as a low carbon heat source, in particular I’m looking at the potential geo-mechanical risks of abstracting and injecting heat and water into mine workings.
