The Mining Remediation Authority has signed a new mine water heat access agreement with Lanchester Wine Cellars Ltd, extending the partnership through to 2044 and marking another significant milestone in the expansion of the technology.
Lanchester Wines, based in the north-east of England, made history as the first private business in Great Britain to draw heat from disused underground coal mines. Its 2 open loop water source heat pumps, at its warehouses in Gateshead, have a combined capacity of 4 megawatts and can heat more than 33,000 square metres of warehouse space.
The wine importer and merchant has invested around £13 million in renewable heat and energy generation across its sites, and its commitment to innovation has helped to prove that mine water heat can be a commercially viable and scalable clean energy solution.
The heat pump used at Lanchester Wines.
Lanchester Wines worked closely with the Mining Remediation Authority to help develop the new access agreement. Its operational experience shaped a framework designed to make it easier for private sector businesses to use mine water heat. The updated agreement introduces greater flexibility, including provisions for business transitions and operational changes, while removing unnecessary barriers to access.
Richard Bond, innovation and services director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said
Lanchester Wines has been a true pioneer. As the first private business in Great Britain to harness heat from disused coal mines, it has not only demonstrated what is possible but has actively helped us build a better, more accessible framework for others to follow.
The company’s willingness to share knowledge, help shape processes and invest for the long term is exactly the kind of collaboration that drives real change. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Lanchester Wines to 2044 and look forward to seeing its success inspire businesses across the country.
The Mining Remediation Authority’s mine heat licencing team.
Lanchester Wines, part of the wider Lanchester Group, which includes Greencroft Bottling, Spicers of Hythe and Bon Bon’s Wholesale, has long placed sustainability at the heart of its operations.
Powered almost entirely by renewable wind and solar energy, the business has consistently gone above and beyond legislative requirements to reduce its environmental impact, and the mine water heat project represents the latest and most ambitious chapter in that journey.
Veronica Cleary, director of Lanchester Wines Cellars Ltd, said
We are proud to have partnered closely with the Mining Remediation Authority to shape Great Britain’s Heat Access Agreement, creating a clearer route for businesses to collaborate on geothermal projects. Lanchester Wines was an early commercial adopter of geothermal heat pump technology, and by working with the Mining Remediation Authority, we have helped develop an approach that is both practical and forward-thinking, demonstrating how industry and government can work together to unlock new sources of clean energy.
By working collaboratively to simplify what was previously a complex and evolving process, we have helped establish a framework that balances government priorities with commercial reality. The agreement introduces greater flexibility, including provisions for business transitions and operational changes, while removing unnecessary barriers to access. This joint effort not only streamlines delivery but also supports wider adoption of mine water geothermal energy, enabling more businesses to benefit from a sustainable geothermal heat source.
Veronica Cleary, director of Lanchester Wines Cellars Ltd.
The agreement reflects the Mining Remediation Authority’s broader ambition to grow commercial engagement with Great Britain’s mine water heat resource, which has the potential to provide secure, low-carbon heating to homes, businesses and communities across former coalfield areas.
