Geothermal Minewater GeoExchange Exploration
This page was last reviewed on February 13, 2025.
The Village is exploring geothermal energy opportunities with the University of Victoria’s Accelerating Community Energy Transformation program (ACET).
The project involves research and feasibility of using the network of flooded Cumberland mines as a shared and affordable source of geothermal energy for heating and cooling for the community.
Initial exploration has taken place in 2024 to estimate the extent of the historic No. 6 mine heat capacity. A scoping study is proposed to further feasibility for the project.
Find out more:
- December 9, 2024: Staff report to Council to provide $10,000 in funding for the scoping study to prepare for a funding application to the FCM Green Municipal Fund
- October 1, 2024: ACET presentation to Cumberland Council
- July 8, 2024: Mayor’s update report to Council
- March 25, 2024: Staff report to request approval for research by ACET on behalf of the Village
Geothermal Minewater GeoExchange Exploration FAQ’s
Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) is a multi-partner international initiative working with local communities to create innovative, resilient and clean energy projects which serve isolated, rural and mid-sized communities.
With support from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, ACET is a partnership between Royal Roads University, University of British Columbia, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Yukon University, led by the University of Victoria.
CET provides research and support to projects, but these are community driven initiatives that serve local community objectives. Through these partnerships we enhance our understanding of new and emerging technologies, how they can be utilized to achieve community objectives.
ACET partners with communities to co-create sustainable, resilient and place-based clean energy systems. These systems not only reduce environmental impact but also generate long-term economic opportunities and advance energy independence.
By developing locally integrated, diverse energy systems, ACET enhances community resilience against extreme weather, supply disruptions and energy price fluctuations. Innovations in technology and smart infrastructure accelerate this transformation by making energy systems future-ready.
Cumberland has partnered with ACET to explore the opportunities to utilize existing proven technology, geothermal energy, in an innovative way. The project is seeking to utilize decommissioned mine shafts under the community to generate and store thermal energy.
The goal of the project is to power future developments in the Village which could include affordable housing, commercial space, industrial applications, and a multi-use municipal facility.
This is an initial concept and more work will be going into consulting with Council and the community on a final use for the space.
ACET team has completed phase one of this project which looked at the initial viability of the project, looking at similar projects across the country, and helping the municipality map workable mine shafts in the region. This included working with local geologists and reviewing historical maps documenting the site.
Phase 2 will involve engineering feasibility studies and specific business case development for minewater geoexchange applications in Cumberland.
Geothermal energy typically works is by exploiting the fact that the earth gets warmer the deeper you go. Energy is harnessed by drilling into the earth, where water is circulated deep underground through a bore hole and heated. The heated water is then pumped back up, and used for heating and cooling or for generating electricity.
Using old mines allows you to skip a step or two. The large, deep holes in the ground are already there. After mines are abandoned, water tends to naturally fill in the chambers and tunnels, and it's heated by the Earth.
Cumberland as part of their project, will be submitting an application to the Study: Community Energy Systems stream of the Green Municipal Fund administered by FCM.
This funding is critical for the project to conduct the engineering work and business case development required to move the project forward. This is utilizing a tested existing technology in a new way to support a community centred project.
Testing this concept will not only benefit Cumberland, but the research work from this project could also greatly benefit other projects in isolated and remote communities, the north or mid-sized cities looking to diversity their energy mix.