Community Workshop, Alpha Centre, Fallin, Monday 27th October 2025 at 6pm

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Over the last few weeks, I have been working along with Naomi and Nicky at Fallin Community Garden, in consultation with Fallin Community Voice, to see if it would be feasible to establish a renewal energy project which could provide cheap, possibly free heating and hot water for the Community Garden polytunnels, site cabins and other buildings in Fallin. To get more information on the project, please read this earlier post: https://fallinminewaterthermal.scot/fallin-minewater-thermal/

Over the last few weeks, I have carried out some research into this technology and discovered there has been extensive research carried out by Professor Zoe Shipton from the University of Strathclyde and Dr Jennifer Dickie, a senior lecturer in environment geography at the University of Stirling. Their research titled Nurturing a New Industry Rooted in Geoscience: Stakeholder Insights on Minewater Thermal in Scotland. Here is a link ot more information on this emerging and exciting technology.

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Katherine Deeming, who is a PhD Researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde who was alerted to our project by Professor Shipton. She told me that they were seeking groups to participate in research workshops on Minewater Thermal Energy (MWTE) in the Scottish coalfields. Here is a link to the email received from Katherine.

The workshop is taking place on Monday evening, 27th October in the Alpa Centre, Fallin from 6pm -7-15pm. The purpose of the workshop is for the Katherine and to give a presentation of this emerging technology to discuss the potential benefits and challenges of minewater schemes in Scotland.

Fallin Minewater Thermal Poster

It would be great if as a many people as possible to come along on the evening as the findings of a desktop study into the Fallin project has concluded that it would be feasible to have a Minewater Thermal Energy (MWTE) scheme, subject to a number of environmental and financial considerations by Fallin Community Voice.

Here is a link to the summary findings of the work carried out by local company OCS (formerly FES) who commisioned specialists GCore, to carry out the work on behalf of the Fallin comminity. I want to thank OCS who engaged GCore to carry out this work probono (free of charge). I also want to thank Rob Gardner from GCore for their efforts, it is greatly appreciated.

There are a couple of commercial Minewater Thermal Energy projects in the UK, but this could be the first community owned project, which would put Fallin on the map nationally.

Given the proud history of Polmaise miners leading from the front, it would be environmental justice if we could establish the first community run Minewater Thermal Energy project in the UK.

This technology could be replicated throughout the Bannockburn ward so I will be contacting other community groups in Bannockburn, Cowie, Plean and Throsk to pass on the learning from this study.

Finally, lots of us lost our loved ones in Polmaise collieries 1-4, some of them are remembered on the memorial in front of the Community Garden so it’s fantastic to think that the our miners hard work may have left an invaluable inheritance – a renewable and very green way of heating for generations to come.