One year after its launch, the UK’s first mine water heat Living Laboratory in Gateshead is attracting growing international attention, with researchers from Europe and the United States engaging with the project to explore how real-world mine water data could help accelerate low-carbon heat solutions.
Working with Leeds University to collect data from our fibre optic cables.
The open-access Living Lab, led by the Mining Remediation Authority, monitors interactions between three operational mine water heat schemes in the North East of England, including Gateshead Energy Company’s mine water heat network and another privately funded scheme nearby at Lanchester Wines warehouses.
Over its first year, the project has generated thousands of hours of thermal, hydrological and geophysical data, rapidly establishing itself as a valuable research asset for scientists, engineers, policymakers, developers and energy operators.
Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – managed by the University of California for the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science – are among those engaging with the Living Lab, highlighting its relevance beyond the UK and its potential contribution to global geothermal research Gateshead mine water heat living laboratory – data.gov.uk.
Dr Christine Doughty, Staff Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, said
I was very enthusiastic to hear about the work of the Living Lab. Mine water geothermal represents a huge potential resource for heating and cooling in the UK, the US and elsewhere.
When you look at maps of abandoned, flooded mine shafts and workings in historical mining areas, it is truly impressive how extensive the networks of fluid flow paths are. However, our experience of actually extracting energy from these systems is still very limited.
By running controlled borehole tests and monitoring subsurface responses, the Living Lab will help us learn how to systematically develop these systems and optimise performance.
The project has also attracted strong interest from European researchers keen to learn from the UK’s experience. A German research team is now engaging with the Living Lab to compare datasets and improve understanding of mine water system behaviour.
Elke Mugova, mine water researcher at Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG, said
The Living Lab offers a unique opportunity for us at Fraunhofer IEG to benchmark and compare high-resolution thermal and hydraulic data with our own monitoring sites in former coal mines.
Because both our sites and Gateshead are located in historical mine workings, this allows us to better understand system behaviour across different geological and operational settings.
By analysing interactions, seasonal dynamics and long-term stability, we can refine predictive models and develop best practice for sustainable mine water heat use at a wider scale.
Dr Fiona Todd, geoscientist and project lead at the Mining Remediation Authority, said
Access to real-world mine water data at this scale is incredibly rare. The level of national and international interest shows the value of creating an open, shared resource that others can learn from.
After a year of monitoring, we’re building a high-quality, open dataset that researchers can explore, test and build on using real-world information from operational mine systems.
For the first time, researchers are able to explore real-world measurements showing key properties of the rocks helping to understand how easily water can move through historic mine workings. These characteristics are fundamental to understanding mine water heat systems, helping scientists assess availability, reliability and long-term performance.
Since launch, the Living Laboratory has supported a growing programme of academic, research and industry collaboration across Great Britain, with its open-access dataset being used by universities, research organisations and industry partners, including TownRock Energy.
The data is already being used in undergraduate and MSc research, informing PhD proposals and contributing to funding bids exploring mine water geothermal energy, geophysics and the use of artificial intelligence to improve environmental monitoring.
Universities, including Leeds, Durham, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and Hull, are engaging with the project, alongside the British Geological Survey.
Researchers have also visited the Gateshead site to trial new technologies, including fibre-optic sensing equipment, generating ideas for future projects that make use of the Living Lab’s unique infrastructure and long-term datasets.
The project’s growing profile has also been recognised internationally, with the Living Lab featured in a poster at the upcoming World Geothermal Congress in Calgary in June 2026, highlighting how UK research is contributing to global understanding of mine water heat.
To mark the one-year milestone, the Mining Remediation Authority has released a three-part video series offering the first public insight into how mine water heat research is carried out.
The videos follow samples through the full research process – from collection at Gateshead sites, through laboratory analysis at the British Geological Survey, to interpretation – showcasing the rigorous science underpinning the project.
Video 1 Sample collection at Gateshead
Video 2 Laboratory analysis at the British Geological Survey
Video 3 Interpreting the results at headquarters
Mine water heat uses naturally warm water held in flooded former mines to provide low-carbon heating. Around a quarter of UK homes and businesses are located above former coalfields, representing significant potential to support the government’s Plan for Change mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
Mine water heat schemes are already operating in Gateshead, providing low-carbon heat to around 350 homes and businesses, with further developments under way, including at Seaham Garden Village in County Durham.
The Mining Remediation Authority currently operates more than 80 mine water treatment schemes across Great Britain, placing it at the forefront of managing mine water safely while exploring opportunities to reuse this legacy infrastructure for clean energy.
Heat accounts for a significant proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions. By providing high-quality, open-access data, the Living Lab is helping to build the scientific understanding needed to inform future decisions on low-carbon heating, energy security and the sustainable reuse of former coalfield infrastructure.
As monitoring continues and the dataset grows, the Mining Remediation Authority will publish further findings to support national policymaking, industry innovation and community-led clean heat solutions.
The Living Lab represents a long-term commitment to evidence-led innovation, transparency and collaboration – supporting researchers and mine water heat operators today and helping to shape cleaner heating solutions for the future.