A wine business in the north-east of England has extended a clean heat deal after becoming the first private company in Great Britain to use mine water energy.
Lanchester Wines has signed a new access agreement with the Mining Remediation Authority, extending the partnership through to 2044.
The company made history by drawing heat from disused underground coal mines to warm its warehouses in Gateshead.
Its two open loop water source heat pumps have a combined capacity of 4MW and can heat more than 33,000 square metres of warehouse space.
The wine importer and merchant has invested around £13 million in renewable heat and energy generation across its sites.
The Mining Remediation Authority said the project has helped prove that mine water heat can be a commercially viable clean energy option for private businesses.
The new agreement was shaped with input from Lanchester Wines and is intended to make it easier for other companies to use mine water heat. It includes greater flexibility for business transitions and operational changes while removing barriers to access.
Richard Bond, Innovation and Services Director at the Mining Remediation Authority, said: “Lanchester Wines has been a true pioneer.
“As the first private business in Great Britain to harness heat from disused coal mines, it has not only demonstrated what is possible but has actively helped us build a better, more accessible framework for others to follow.”
LancVeronica Cleary, Director of Lanchester Wine Cellars Ltd, said: “We are proud to have partnered closely with the Mining Remediation Authority to shape Great Britain’s Heat Access Agreement, creating a clearer route for businesses to collaborate on geothermal projects.”
The authority said mine water heat could provide secure, low-carbon heating to homes, businesses and communities across former coalfield areas.
Copyright © 2026 Energy Live News LtdELN