How mine water could warm up the UK's forgotten coal towns

clock • 5 min read
An old coal pit head looms about homes in South Wales | Credit: iStock
Image:

An old coal pit head looms about homes in South Wales | Credit: iStock

Funding gaps, regulatory red tape and a shortage of skilled workers are stalling the UK's mine-water heating projects, according to the University of Manchester's Jingyi Li, Alejandro Gallego Schmid and Cathy Hollis

The Ukraine war sent shockwaves through global energy markets, driving up prices and leaving households across the UK struggling with soaring energy bills. But beneath the ground, in disused coal mines,...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Energy

'A huge milestone for Britain': Renewables provided half of the UK's electricity in 2024
Energy

'A huge milestone for Britain': Renewables provided half of the UK's electricity in 2024

Collective power output from Britain’s wind, solar, hydro and biomass plants reached a new record high last year, as fossil fuels plummeted to record lows

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 31 July 2025 • 6 min read
Ofgem pushes for 'fairer' energy cost allocation as clean power shift gathers pace
Energy

Ofgem pushes for 'fairer' energy cost allocation as clean power shift gathers pace

Energy regulator launches major review of how costs are allocated across Britain's energy system - from generation through to households - in bid to make energy bills fairer

Amber Rolt
clock 31 July 2025 • 3 min read
Study: National clean power targets worldwide failing to align with global ambition
Energy

Study: National clean power targets worldwide failing to align with global ambition

Progress towards the collective global pledge to triple renewables capacity by 2030 has barely shifted in the past two years since the goal was set two years ago, fresh analysis claims

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 31 July 2025 • 5 min read