Mijnwater Heerlen
The Mijnwater project was originally developed to extract renewable energy from the water of the old Oranje Nassau III coal mine for heating and cooling buildings. The water is thereby extracted from the old mining galleries of the coal mine. This makes the Heerlen mine water project different from other geothermal projects in the Netherlands. It was also the first deep bore (> 500 metres) to extract geothermal heat. For this reason, a geothermal exploration licence was also granted for the first time under the new Mining Act.

Furthermore, it is also innovative, that the very low temperature heating system (28°C/16°C) and cooling is not limited to one building, but is applied in a complete restructuring area with various functions (residential, school, retail, office, care and cultural cluster) via a heat and cold distribution network. Mijnwater B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of the municipality of Heerlen, provides the heat and cold supply.



Nederlands Mijnmuseum
The Dutch Mining Museum cherishes Limburg's coal and mining past and is housed in the shaft building of the former Oranje Nassau I colliery in Heerlen.
The three-storey shaft building, built around the 470-metre-deep mine shaft, has been set up as an exhibition area. Here, mining objects are displayed and films about the history of the Mine region are shown. Also on display is the retrieval building with the retrieval machine from 1897.
The Dutch Mining Museum has an extensive collection of, among other things, mining lamps, finishing hammers, styles, tools and art made for and by miners.



Joint KIVI-VDI excursion
Members of the VDI Germany (Niederrheinischer Bezirksverein; https://www.vdi.de/ueber-uns/vor-ort/bezirksvereine/niederrheinischer-bezirksverein) have also been invited to this excursion.
Due to the maximum number of participants, the excursion will take place in 2 groups (maximum 20 people each). While one group will visit the Geothermal/Minewater project, where Mr Ed Smulders will give a presentation on Minewater followed by a tour of the Maankwartier power plant, the other group will be guided through the Mine Museum.
The 2 groups will each be composed of Dutch and German participants. The language of instruction will be English.

Details and registration
Parking: Navigate to CBS-weg 2 Heerlen and follow the signs "Mijnmuseum". Parking is available on the grounds of Carbon6. Drive through the barriers by inserting your bank card; you will receive a free exit ticket at the museum.
The maximum number of KIVI participants is limited to 20 persons.
st Reception and registration are at the Mining Museum.
The participation fee includes coffee/tea and flan; other refreshments at your own expense.

Optional: Joint dinner at Chinese-Indian restaurant "Golden Peacock", Raadhuisstraat 7, 6411 HK Heerlen. Costs for own account.