The Importance of Community Projects – A Case Study of the Horden Mine Water Project

Over the years, climate activism has largely focused on advocating for more major governmental initiatives to drive change, as these tend to have the greatest global impact. However, it has been said that smaller-scale projects are often the ones that motivate the most people to engage in environmental efforts, with community involvement fostering a sense of pride and responsibility. These projects also ensure that social and economic benefits are more tangibly shared amongst all residents, rather than just through the broad goals of national or global initiatives. That said, local projects are still typically government funded through smaller breakout hubs, but they also rely far more on voluntary work to continue progressing.

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An example of a community-focused project in County Durham is the Horden Mine Water Scheme. Situated along the North Sea coast, Horden was once home to one of the largest coal mines in the country. At its peak in the 1930s, the mine employed around 4,000 people and produced 1.5 million tonnes of coal annually. The closure of the mine in 1987 had a profound impact on the people of Horden, leading to major livelihood losses and leading the village to become one of the most impoverished in the county- a status that persists to the present day. The project is in partnership with the Horden Parish Council and the East Durham Trust, whose knowledge of the history and infrastructure of the village has been utilised to design a scheme that benefits both the environment and local communities, in ways national strategies often cannot.

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The former mining infrastructure of Horden remains largely intact, with the shafts filled with rubble or sealed by concrete, and the tunnels now flooded. The floodwater naturally heats to around 20°C as it moves through the mines. Currently, this water is pumped out by the Coal Authority, cleaned of iron deposits and released into the sea. However, the mine water scheme aims to harness this as a potential source of geothermal energy.

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Since the program began in 2020, a micro-feasibility study has been conducted, revealing that developing this network to heat local homes, businesses, and greenhouses could reduce carbon emissions by 580,000 tonnes over its lifetime – equivalent to 265 million miles driven in an average petrol car. Mark Wilkes, the Durham County Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, stated, “The Horden Mine Water Project is evidence that County Durham is serious about its commitment to tackling climate change and creating the green jobs of the future.” As the water is already being pumped out of the mines to prevent contamination of the water supply, no additional exploration or logistical planning is required to access it. The job opportunities created as part of its development are expected to help address the socioeconomic inequalities within the village.

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Upon its successful completion, the community will further benefit from access to an energy source that is available all year-round, unaffected by external factors and shortages that can raise prices.

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A precedent for the success of this type of geothermal energy project has already been set in another County Durham mining town- Dawdon. There, a district heat network has been established to support the 1,500-home Seaham Garden Village. The village, which has been under development since 2020, has the potential to become the first large-scale mine energy heating scheme in the UK, with a projected 6MW of low-cost, low-carbon energy available for use all year round. Local successes like these create a template for the major structural and systematic changes which are necessary to create a more sustainable society. In fact, it is estimated there is enough energy in the UK’s flooded and abandoned mines to heat all the homes in the coalfields, amounting to around one quarter of all UK homes and businesses.

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Community projects such as the Horden Mine Water Scheme are valuable in many ways, from boosting local economies to making steps towards net-zero carbon emissions. The future for the project looks promising, with communities rallying around the program with a sense of ownership and pride. A further £139,000 in funding has also been secured from the Heat Networks Delivery Unit to complete the next stages of feasibility and project development. For those interested in getting involved in local sustainability-focused projects, a list of ongoing initiatives is available on the Durham County Council website linked in this article. Happy exploring!

Climate change, carbon reduction and sustainability projects - Durham County Council