Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential across the Durham Coalfield for producing sustainable geothermal energy from disused mines.

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we must look at how to accelerate all low carbon technologies including geothermal. The mine water from coal mines shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks. The government is therefore supporting mine water schemes at Gateshead and Seaham Garden Village through the Heat Network Investment Project and the Green Heat Network Fund. Whilst no specific assessment has been made of the Durham Coalfield potential the Northeast Local Enterprise Partnership published a report in 2021, assessing options to increase deployment and the Mining Remediation Authority has released opportunity maps.