Preparation for construction of Minewater heat grid in Kerkrade

The Climate Accord agreed that all buildings in the Netherlands must be natural gas-free by 2050. Kerkrade is also working on alternative, energy-efficient ways to heat and cool homes and buildings.

One of the projects involved is the possible expansion of the Mijnwater heat network to Kerkrade. This network uses heat and cold from groundwater in former mining galleries in the region.

What is Minewater? 

Mijnwater provides sustainable heating and cooling of homes and other buildings in Parkstad. In doing so, they use a new 5th generation heat and cold network. Through clever use of old mining galleries as renewable heat and cold sources, among other things, they are contributing to the transition to sustainable energy and reducing CO2 emissions.

Water in old mining galleries as a sustainable resource

Groundwater in the former mining galleries is heated by the earth to about 28°C. Mine water uses that warm water to heat buildings. The cooler water from the higher elevation corridors can be used to cool buildings in the summer. Where coal once gave us heat, the old corridors of coal mines now provide renewable energy for the future.

Expansion to Kerkrade

Mijnwater now supplies heat and cooling to about 1040 homes and 24 businesses and utility buildings (large non-residential buildings, such as offices or schools) in Heerlen. The company wants to expand this network to Kerkrade in the coming years. The expansion will take place step by step. First, it will start in a smaller area where enough buildings can be connected at the same time. The first area that Mijnwater is targeting is industrial area Dentgenbach (phase A).

After that, expansion towards Kerkrade-West and Kerkrade-Centrum will be considered. How quickly that will happen depends in part on the number of buildings that can be connected.

Connection to the heat grid

Mijnwater will begin by connecting large users of heat and cold, such as businesses, utility buildings, social property and larger apartment complexes. In a later phase, individual homes in certain neighborhoods may also be connected.

The extension to Kerkrade is currently in the preparation phase. It is not yet known when work will begin.

Walk-in meeting

On Tuesday, December 2, the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth is organizing a walk-in meeting. The meeting is about the start-up permit that Mijnwater has applied for the first heat source on Dentgenbachweg. 

The meeting will take place at GaiaZoo Event Center. The address is Brughofweg 25 (gate 3) in Kerkrade. You are free to walk in and out between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.; registration is not required. At the walk-in meeting there will be booths where you can ask questions. The following organizations will be present: Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, Mine Water, TNO, State Supervision of Mines (SSM) and Municipality of Kerkrade.

Would you like more information about Minewater in Kerkrade? Please visit www.mijnwater.com/projecten/kerkrade

Would you like to know more about the starting permit? Please visit www.mijnbouwvergunningen.nl/kerkrade