TownRock Energy (TRE) has been Lead Technical Consultant providing Design, Construction, Operations and Maintenance support since 2021, having won the responsibility due to a longstanding reputation of delivering innovative feasibility studies and exploratory drilling and testing of mine water geothermal systems.

Since TRE’s involvement in the project, the following activities beyond the standard operation and maintenance (O&M) role have been conducted:

  • Optimisation of the internal heat distribution system via temperature and flow surveys – maximising heat output at desired locations to end-users, maximising system coefficient of performance, and minimising parasitic losses.
  • Culmination of a bespoke Building Management System (BMS), tailored to mine water energy operational requirements.

In conjunction with the delivery of the O&M package, TRE has delivered innovative improvements to the technical and financial profile of the system. At point of adoption the flow rate from the abstraction wells were lower than the heat exchanger and heat pumps optimal thermal generating capacity. TRE implemented a staged approach to auditing and then re-designing the subsurface components of the system that culminated in the drilling of four exploration boreholes to a deeper mined seam, and installation of a new abstraction well. This resulted in significantly increased flow rate and improved water geochemistry, reducing maintenance costs and increasing heat revenue. The system now operates at double the generating capacity and half the maintenance costs, because of the work TRE led and delivered. TRE also led the recompletion of the two discharge boreholes, ensuring that mine water was unable to contaminate the shallow aquifer and oxidation of the mine water was eliminated, improving operations and protecting the environment.

TRE have regularly engaged with the Mining Remediation Authority and Environment Agency, including negotiations for exploratory drilling strategies into mine workings and long-term collaboration on a new revised Heat Access Agreement (HAA). Lanchester Wines is the only private company to have a HAA in place at the time of writing. TRE have ensured our client is compliant with regulations and leveraged technical / scientific expertise to negotiate with the regulators.