Minewater aims to revive old and declining mining areas by extracting geothermal heat from water trapped in flooded mines. The main objective of this 20 M euro project is to reduce the ex-mining communities ecological footprint by demonstrating that it is both economically viable and environmentally sound to extract geothermal energy from water in closed coal mines. It will seek to disseminate this new renewable energy resource throughout North West and eastern Europe, which also faces the challenge of managing the decline of traditional coal industries. Subsidiary objectives include developing new housing areas within old communities that will benefit from this renewable energy. The project will be piloted on a transnational basis by Heerlen (Netherlands) and Midlothian (UK) councils, enabling common European issues to be addressed and strengthening partners perseverance in finding solutions. Also, as mining areas cross national boundaries, adoption of the technology will contribute to more geographically balanced development across North West Europe. Achievements: The main conclusions of the project are: It is technically possible, economically viable and environmentally sound, to heat and cool buildings with the warmth and cold of water in former flooded mines. Key documents that were produced are: -Minewater project Heerlen, realisation and results. - Projet Minewater. Etude de profaisabilité - Chimie de l'eau dans Ie basin Houiller Lorrain (environmental evaluation)Utilisation géothermique de l'eau des mines de charbon ennoyées (economie approach) - Investigation of the cross border influence of geothermal minewater projects in the Dutch / German borderland - Sustainable redevelopment of mining communities - Assessment of minewater potential in UK- Minewater as a renewable energy source (information guide) - Assessment o the minewater pilot project under EC competition law - Minewater project: Impact assessment report - Minewater and C02 emissions: in search of valuable reductions