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Renewable energy

Black to Green Eco Park: A Vision for Sustainable Energy Generation and Digital Development

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the UK Government have unveiled a bold vision to transform the former Chatterley Whitfield Colliery into a multi-faceted digital and renewable energy generation scheme. This ambitious project, called the Black to Green Eco park, aims to harness the site's latent heat energy to power a District Heat Network and accommodate cutting-edge digital developments, such as data storage centers. The project aligns with the city council's corporate priorities to make Stoke-on-Trent a greener, cleaner, and more skilled city.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Black to Green Eco park will sit within the wider Digital and Energy Growth Zone at Chatterley Whitfield, aligning with the UK's AI Growth Zone agenda.
  • The site has substantial electrical grid capacity for digital developments, with up to 150MW potentially deliverable, enabling rapid data center rollout.
  • The project will integrate renewable energy schemes, including a mine energy heat project that will recover low-grade heat from former mine workings and upgrade it through heat pump technology.
  • The District Heat Network will be powered by both mine workings heat and data center waste heat, increasing its reach and scale.
  • The site will also incorporate a 10MW photovoltaic solar farm, a 49MW battery storage system, and a 20MW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) peaking plant.
  • Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker emphasized that the project is about making life better for people in Stoke-on-Trent, with real benefits including cheaper heating for families, skilled work in the industries of tomorrow, and energy that doesn't cost the earth.

Statistics:

  • Up to 150MW of electrical grid capacity is potentially deliverable for digital developments at the site.
  • The District Heat Network will be powered by 12 listed buildings incorporating the original mine workings, headgears, and railway sidings.
  • The total area of the Black to Green Eco park is 100 hectares, with 10.5 hectares designated for the former mining buildings.
  • The site features 12 listed buildings and is designated as a Scheduled Monument.

Sources:

  • Stoke-on-Trent City Council
  • UK Government
  • National Grid

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