Mine shaft water for thermal energy storage : A move toward net-zero

Mukherjee, Indrani and Burnside, Neil M. and Flude, Stephanie and Whittington, Daniel J. and Dassow, Jessica and Wang, Huachuan and Ewe, Win Eng and Yang, Shangtong and Molnar, Ian L. and Tuohy, Paul and Flett, Graeme and Shipton, Zoe; Jaafar, Juhana and Serranti, Silvia and Turan, Veysel, eds. (2026) Mine shaft water for thermal energy storage : A move toward net-zero. In: Water Security, Management, and Energy Nexus. Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation . Springer Nature, FRA, pp. 331-342. ISBN 978-3-032-06709-8 (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-06709-8_33)

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Abstract

The ambition to achieve net-zero emissions has accelerated the transition toward renewable energy production, but the intermittency of most renewable energy technologies, coupled with a lack of storage technology, often results in curtailment during times of high production. Long-duration energy storage is crucial for balancing the grid during reduced renewable energy generation periods. Repurposing abandoned flooded mine workings for low-carbon energy applications has gained significant attention, especially in countries with strong mining legacies. However, most projects focus on geothermal heat recovery rather than energy storage and are mostly in the pilot phase or characterized by modest thermal throughput, typically under several tens of kW. The STEaM (GigaWatt-Hour Subsurface Thermal Energy storAge: Engineered structures and legacy Mine shafts) project pioneers the use of mine shaft thermal energy storage (MSTES) to help balance the electrical grid and decarbonize homes and businesses. STEaM aims to perform thermal–hydraulic-chemical–mechanical (THCM) modeling, and take an energy-systems approach to determine the optimal integration of this resource into local energy grid and heat network systems. This study highlights previous examples of mine shaft heat extraction in the UK and demonstrates the potential for MSTES to contribute to the low-carbon energy transition.

ORCID iDs

Mukherjee, Indrani ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5817-4204

Burnside, Neil M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-2623

Flude, Stephanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0511-0116

Wang, Huachuan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5307-3690

Ewe, Win Eng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0416-0963

Yang, Shangtong ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9977-5954

Tuohy, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4850-733X

Flett, Graeme ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8255-5223

Shipton, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2268-7750

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• Item metadata

  Item type:	Book Section
  ID code:	96333
  Dates:	Date Event 1 April 2026 Published
  Subjects:	Technology > Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) > Environmental engineering
  Department:	Faculty of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Strathclyde > University of Strathclyde Strategic Research Themes > Energy Faculty of Engineering > Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  Depositing user:	Pure Administrator
  Date deposited:	22 May 2026 08:54
  Last modified:	03 Jun 2026 16:32
  Related URLs:	Scopus publication
  URI:	https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/96333