MIJNWATER SUSTAINABLE HEATING AND COOLING

Promoter – Financial Intermediary

MIJNWATER WARMTE INFRA BV

Location

• The Netherlands

Description

The project consists of an investment programme for the expansion of a fifth generation district heating and cooling network system supplied by underground waters from closed coal mines in the Province of Limburg (NL).

Objectives

In line with the EU and national renewable energy targets, the investment plan will mostly substitute individual gas heating with a more sustainable and efficient centralised heating/cooling system, resulting in primary energy savings and reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases. The project will also contribute to progressing early-deployment of fifth generation district heating and cooling network in Europe, thus contributing to learning-by-doing and positive knowledge externalities.

Sector(s)

• Energy - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

Proposed EIB finance (Approximate amount)

EUR 90 million

Total cost (Approximate amount)

EUR 182 million

Environmental aspects

Based on the technical characteristics of the project, only the deep geothermal wells (> 500 m depth) fall under Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA) 2014/52/EU (amending 2011/92/EU), which requires the competent national authority to determine the need for an EIA. The first deep drilling was screened-out from a full EIA process and the competent authorities confirmed that it will not have any cumulative impact on sites of nature importance, including Natura 2000. As the project consists of a wider programme which includes the above-mentioned deep wells subject to Annex II of the EIA Directive, this programme is also subject to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC. Based on available information at this stage, the environmental impacts of the project are expected to be minor and related mainly to noise, vibration, dust, and traffic disruption, and mostly temporary during the construction, which will be mitigated through appropriate site organisation and construction management. Risks related to subsurface (such as potential shallow aquifer contamination, release of gases, pressure/temperature variations, corrosion, drilling losses or blow-outs) are managed through industry-standard designs, drilling industry safety standards and adequate operational and reservoir management strategies. There is a risk of induced seismicity, which was assessed as low for the first drilling combined with the existing wells. Appropriate environmental and seismic monitoring measures will be undertaken by the Promoter and subject to regular control by the competent authorities. For the remaining deep wells (four), the EIA screening decision, the Appropriate Assessment, the SEA and the induced seismicity risk assessment processes are on-going and will be subject to disbursement conditions.

Procurement

As a public undertaking operating in the utility sector, the Promoter is subject to public procurement and its procurement procedures need to be in line with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directives 2014/24/EU and/or 2014/25/EU, where applicable, as well as Directive 92/13/EEC), as transposed in the national legislation under the Dutch Public Procurement Act 2012 (amended 1 July 2016), with publication of the tender and award notices in the Official Journal of the European Union, as and where required.

Status

Approved - 20/06/2024