Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Developing a Guide for Harnessing Low-grade Geothermal Energy from Minewater for Heating and Cooling Buildings
EPA Grant Number: SU835692Title: Developing a Guide for Harnessing Low-grade Geothermal Energy from Minewater for Heating and Cooling Buildings
Investigators: Winkler, Richelle , Masterton, Adrienne , Garrod, Andrew , Anna, David , Occhietti, Deanna , Louie, Edward , Macleod, Eric , Meldrum, Jay , Warsko, Kayla , Blumberg, Krist , Michaelson, Melissa , Slagle, Nicolette , Savage, Sana , Tran, Theresa
Institution: Michigan Technological University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2014 through August 14, 2015
Project Amount: $14,490
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Energy used for heating and cooling contributes directly and indirectly to pollutants, which contribute to climate change and acid rain. In former mining communities, heating and cooling costs are high for a number of reasons. Additionally, the loss of active mining often poses economic and leadership challenges in former mining communities. In many such communities, the inactive mines are seen as a nuisance or potential risk. This project aims to change that legacy by helping communities to understand and begin to explore the potential to reuse these mines as a source of geothermal heating and cooling.
Despite the myriad social, environmental, and economic challenges former mining communities tend to face, inactive, flooded mines offer an opportunity, or silver lining, in that they can be used to provide low-cost geothermal heating and cooling. Thousands of mines across the U.S. are each filled with millions to billions of gallons of water. The water is insulated and heated by the earth. These flooded mines represent an enormous geothermal reservoir and a great potential for heat exchange. Despite this opportunity, most people do not perceive the ground beneath their feet as possessing any useful energy. As a result less than 0.001% of the earth’s low-grade geothermal is currently utilized (Murphy, 2012). Most people never think of tapping into flooded mines for geothermal energy or even know where to start.
Using mine water for geothermal heating and cooling has been proven to be technically feasible and economically viable. Globally there are approximately 20 geothermal heat pump systems operating on mine water (Preeene, 2013 and author’s literature search). While the technology exists to utilize minewater, there are very few active projects. With so few systems in existence communities who have considered mine water geothermal can be hesitant to take significant steps to explore it. Without a central repository of how to approach these types of projects, communities don’t know where to start. Low adoption also creates a perceived risk barrier, leading communities to believe that if it is not commonly done, there must be a good reason. To minimize the perceived risks, the objective of this P3 project is to create a guidebook and educational materials that former underground mining communities can use to evaluate their flooded mines for use in highly efficient geothermal heat pump systems.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Based on our review of existing systems, literature, and our interactions within the community of Calumet, MI (a high poverty former mining community that served as our case site), we believe that mine water geothermal has the potential to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate acid mine drainage (Planet); to promote economic development in places with low income/high unemployment (Prosperity); and to improve people’s ability to meet their basic needs to stay warm and comfortable while celebrating local culture and heritage (People). However, former mining communities need knowledge, guidance, and resources in order to understand and to be able to take advantage of the water in their mines for geothermal energy.
Our overall goal is to provide a guidebook for mining communities to understand the potential of this resource, to evaluate the technical feasibility in their own community, and to develop empowering social networks, skills, and resources to promote sustainable redevelopment. Our specific objectives for Phase 1 included:
1) Determine the need for the guidebook on a national scale
2) Create a process which allows communities to understand mine water geothermal collectively
3) Provide an everyday understanding of low-grade geothermal energy
4) Provide a calculator for communities to estimate the capital costs and payback period
Results from Objective One: Determining the need for the guidebook on a national scale
Our work in Calumet, MI indicated a local need for assistance understanding possibilities related to mine water geothermal. To assess the national relevance of this project, we conducted a literature review, reached out to national organizations that work on abandoned mine issues, and utilized geographic information system (GIS) demographic information. It was clear from our literature review that there is enormous potential for these projects (Ackman and Watzlaf, 2007; Korb 2012; Ohio DNR, 2011). Our national partners have also communicated with us that they work with over 100 communities across the US that could benefit from this project (see attached letters of support). In our GIS analysis, the team combined population Census 2010 data with the USGS dataset on the location of past underground mines. Our research found that at the absolute minimum there are 768,000 Americans that live within a half mile of a mine. From this we determined that there is significant national (and most likely global) potential. A Guide could help inform mining communities across the U.S. about the opportunity of using mine water for geothermal heating and cooling. Moreover, the guidebook provides clear instructions on what a community can do to determine the feasibility of a system.
Results from Objective Two: Process to understand mine water geothermal collectively
Perceived risk is a hurdle in adoption of any new technology. Collaborative problem solving can help overcome this hurdle. As a result, participatory planning theory is an integral part of the guidebook. The guidebook gives instructions, and inspiration, through examples of existing systems to help communities explore the feasibility of using their flooded mines for geothermal heat pump systems. The process involves using the knowledge, expertise, and material resources available within the community. The process of collecting and evaluating data will also build community leadership, engagement, and pride. As a result of this objective, our guidebook emphasizes a participatory process for collecting and interpreting data relevant to the feasibility of a system aimed at empowering leaders in disadvantaged communities.
Results from Objective Three: Providing understanding of low-grade geothermal energy
The guidebook overcomes the barrier to understanding low-grade geothermal energy and heat pumps by explaining them in simple terms and connecting them to common experiences. Building on the idea that interactive learning is the best learning (Pérez-Sabater et al., 2011), the Phase I project includes the development of a working physical model depicting an example setup of a mine water geothermal system as a travelling showpiece. As a result of this objective, the P3 team is developing instructions for building a sample model for educating the public, business owners, and policy makers on the “how to” of mine water geothermal systems.
Results from Objective Four: Calculator for communities to estimate costs and payback period
An additional barrier to widespread adoption of geothermal heat pump systems is their perceived expense. Indeed, the drilling and excavation needed for traditional geothermal heat pump systems contributes significantly to the increase in cost compared to alternative HVAC solutions (Kavanaugh, Gilbreath, and Kilpatrick, 1995). By tapping into the thermal reservoir of flooded mines, the number of wells needed is significantly reduced, dramatically reducing the costs of drilling and excavation (ldem. and author’s case comparisons, Korb, 2012). To help communities analyze costs, we created an interactive spreadsheet to calculate costs and payback.
Conclusions:
Overall, the research conducted under Phase I suggests that the exploration and development of mine water geothermal systems has the potential to help reverse the economic, environmental, and social challenges former mining communities face. Reduced heating and cooling costs can help make business expansion financially feasible and inviting for new businesses. This can in turn lower unemployment and emigration rates. With increased liquid funds, individuals, businesses, and the community can invest in further development.
Community pride may increase with the mines recast as an environmental “good” that promotes sustainability a source of low cost heating and cooling, rather than an environmental “bad” that communities must accept or deal with. In fact, entire community identities and outside images may be transformed from “dirty old mining town” to “progressive and sustainable community.” Communities can be proud to be heating and cooling using the most energy efficient means available today and be proud of their role in reducing pollution to the environment and mitigating climate change.
References:
- Ackman T, Watzlaf G. U.S. Mining Regions - The Saudi Arabia of Geothermal Energy. In: 10th Annual Electric Utilities Environmental Conference; 2007 Jan 21-24; Tuscon, AZ.
- Morgantown (WV): National Energy Technology Laboratory; 2007. p. 1-19.
- International Energy Agency. (1992). Geothermal Mine Water as an Energy Source for Heat Pumps. Center for the Analysis and Dissemination of Demonstrated Energy Technologies. Results 122. CA 91.0003/3D.H03.
- Kavanaugh, S., Gilbreath, C., & Kilpatrick, J. (1995). Cost Containment for Ground-source Heat Pumps. Final Reports. University of Alabama.
- Korb, M. (2012). Minepool Geothermal in Pennsylvania. 2012 PA AML Conference “New Frontiers in Reclamation” Conference paper.
- Mason, T. (2009). Mining for Energy, Geothermal Technology and Abandoned Mines Work Together as a New Energy Source. Ocean Resources. Aug/Sept 2009. P. 22-23.
- Murphy, T. (2012). Warm and Fuzzy of Geothermal? Available from:
- http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2012/01/warm-and-fuzzy-on-geothermal/
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources, (2011) Geothermal Potential of Abandoned Underground Mines in Ohio.
- http://www.stategeothermaldata.org/sites/stategeothermaldata.org/files/presentation_files/Ge othermal_potential_of_abandoned_underground_mines.pdf
- Pérez-Sabater, C., Montero-Fleta, B., Pérez-Sabater, M., Rising, B. (2011). Active learning to improve long-term knowledge retention. In Proceedings of the XII Simposio Internacional de Comunicación Social. (pp. 75-79). Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. ISBN: 978-959-7174-13-4
- Preene, M. (2014). Geothermal Energy in Mining. [PowerPoint Presentation] Preene Groundwater Consulting.
- Verhoeven, R., Willems, E., Harcouët-Menou, V., De Boever, E., Hiddes, L., Op’t Veld, P., & Demollin, E. (2014). Minewater 2.0 project in Heerlen the Netherlands: transformation of a geothermal mine water pilot project into a full scale hybrid sustainable energy infrastructure for heating and cooling. Energy Procedia, 46, 58-67.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 3 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
geothermal, community development, community identity, minewater, mine water, geoexchange, heat pump, low grade geothermal, mine reclamationThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.