Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Friday, March 30, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Con Mine could prove useful as an alternative source of energy for the city says the Arctic Energy Alliance.

When the defunct gold mine closed down in 2003, ideas for its future use included making it into a tourist attraction for curious gold-mine enthusiasts and a set at which to film movies.

But now it's the mine's underground shafts that are heating up talks about their potential to keep the city warm with geothermal energy. Temperatures underground at Con have been recorded at up to 38C.

That's what the Arctic Energy Alliance was pondering Friday when they met with experts from the University of British Columbia and a member of a group called the GeoExchange Coalition.

"This was the first step," said Mike Phelan, energy innovation specialist with Arctic Energy Alliance.

Geothermal energy - derived from naturally occurring radiation trapped deep in the Earth - is difficult to harness, but it may be easier in Yellowknife because the underground shafts are already there.

The mine is over 1,800 metres deep.

Phelan said, according to one expert, if the mineshafts went down a couple of kilometres deeper even more energy could be produced.

"The further down you go, the hotter it gets," Phelan said.

For every kilometre, the temperature can rise between 16C and 20C, Phelan said. Dig four or five kilometres deeper and there will be steam rising.

The steam can power turbines and create electricity.

"(It's) turning a liability into an asset," Phelan said.

However, Phelan said it's still uncertain whether funneling heat from Con Mine's core is cost-effective.

"A project like that would be very expensive," Phelan said.

Mark Henry, city energy co-ordinator, said the city is applying for grants to do a study on the feasibility of geothermal energy.

The price tag of the study is $250,000, Henry said.

He said the study would take approximately two years.

Nonetheless, geothermal energy is do able, said Henry.

"It's been done and applied in other cities. The study is fun and sexy, but it's part of a bigger plan."

Part of that plan has to tie in with the city's Community Energy Plan, which is focusing on cutting down greenhouse gas emissions in the city.