The Cumberland Energy Authority in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, announced a new partnership with the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment to research the commercial potential for geothermal energy in Springhill.The Cumberland Energy Authority has also partnered with students from the Management Without Borders program at Dalhousie University to develop a comprehensive external/internal analysis and a preliminary communications plan for the development of a Springhill Geothermal Green Industrial Park.
The report recommends the following:
- Continue studies on existing mineshafts to develop a better understanding of capacity.
- Explore the creation of long term monitoring programs of companies currently using geothermal.
- Ensure legal requirements are in place prior to development.
- Investigate funding/incentive mechanisms to promote development.
When the mine in Springhill closed in 1958, the No.2 seam had reached a length of 4,400m, and a total vertical depth 1,320m (Herteis, 2006). This now represents a large geothermal reservoir, flooded with ground water naturally heated from the Earth (Herteis, 2006). The high volume of water in this flooded mine shaft presents a great opportunity for the development of a geothermal industrial park.
To read the full report, please see Springhill Geothermal Green Industrial Park Initiative.