UK's Lanchester Wines Extends 4MW Mine Water Heat Energy Agreement to 2044

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Lanchester Wines has become the first private company in the UK to use mine water to heat its warehouses, extending the related clean heat energy agreement to 2044. The company signed a new access agreement with the Mining Remediation Authority to extract heat from abandoned underground coal mines for heating its warehouses in Gateshead.

Lanchester Wines has installed two open-loop water source heat pumps with a total capacity of 4 megawatts, capable of heating over 33,000 square meters of warehouse space. The wine importer and distributor has invested approximately £13 million in renewable heat and power generation across its sites. The Mining Remediation Authority stated that the project confirms mine water heat energy can be a commercially viable clean energy option for private enterprises.

The new agreement, developed with input from Lanchester Wines, aims to reduce the difficulty for businesses in utilizing mine water heat energy. It provides greater flexibility for business transitions and operational changes, while removing access barriers. Richard Bond, Director of Innovation and Services at the Mining Remediation Authority, said that Lanchester Wines is a true pioneer, and as the first private company in the UK to harness heat from abandoned coal mines, it has demonstrated technical feasibility and helped build a framework that makes it easier for other businesses to follow suit.

Veronica Cleary, Director of Lanchester Wine Cellars Ltd, said the company is proud to collaborate with the Mining Remediation Authority in developing Great Britain's Heat Access Agreement, which paves a clearer path for businesses to cooperate on geothermal projects. The Authority noted that mine water heat energy can provide safe, low-carbon heating for homes, businesses, and communities in former coalfield areas.