In Bochum, Germany, ongoing construction of new buildings in a district is set to benefit from a geothermal heating project that will use water from abandoned coal mine shafts for emissions-free heating and cooling. The project is expected to supply offices, research facilities, and university institutes by 2027. Engineering firm Zetcon has already moved into an office building near the drilling site and expressed enthusiasm for the innovative idea of utilizing water from old tunnels for heating and cooling purposes.
The MARK 51°7 site in Bochum, once home to an abandoned coal mine and later a car manufacturing facility, is now being repurposed for the geothermal project. Drilling and well testing conducted by Stadtwerke Bochum and the Fraunhofer Institute in early 2022 showed promising results, with water at temperatures suitable for heating and cooling purposes. The extracted water will be fed into a heat pump to increase its temperature before being supplied to the heating network, while a separate reservoir will be used for cooling during the summer months.
The energy center for the project is being built nearby to supply heating and cooling to the entire area. Bochum is considering replicating this geothermal project in other disused mines in the city, with the potential to provide heating for a significant number of residents. The project is seen as a blueprint for similar initiatives in the region, with the potential to harness geothermal energy from old mines and contribute to future energy supplies. Additionally, the water-filled coal shafts can be used for storage of solar thermal energy, providing further opportunities for sustainable energy generation.
Overall, the Bochum geothermal project is considered a modern and innovative approach to heating and cooling generation and distribution. Similar initiatives are being planned in other cities in the Ruhr area, and there is potential for integrating water reservoirs at the feet of cities into strategic heat supply systems worldwide. The project represents a step towards more sustainable and efficient energy solutions for urban areas.
