1 38 A second tier of influence is observed for the plant’s specific electricity consumption, the conditions of the power purchase agreement (PPA), and the facility's annual operating hours, followed by the depreciation period. In contrast, the remaining input parameters exhibit a comparatively marginal effect on the Net Present Value (NPV), indicating limited sensitivity of the economic results to variations in those variables. 6. DISCUSSION: IMPLICATIONS FOR POST-MINING RECLAMATION AND REVITALISATION From a reclamation and revitalisation perspective, the MINE-TO-H2 configuration demonstrates how post-mining assets can be recombined into an energy hub that produces multiple local value streams: decarbonised mobility, improved district heating efficiency, and knowledge creation for replication. The use of mine water as a raw material for electrolysis addresses ongoing pumping requirements in flooded mines by adding a productive outlet, potentially reducing dependence on alternative freshwater supplies. Land-use constraints, including environmental and heritage restrictions, are shown to be material implementation risks for mine-site renewables. The relocation of the photovoltaic plant from a planned open-pit mine plot to an industrial park plot illustrates the need for flexible redevelopment portfolios and reserve plots, as well as early screening of planning constraints. Sector coupling through heat recovery can strengthen the economic and environmental case for post-mining hydrogen hubs by creating an additional local ‘off-take’ for otherwise wasted thermal energy. Project calculations indicate total annual savings of approximately 3.9 GWh/year when integrating electrolyser cooling with district heating operations under specified conditions. However, business viability and replicability remain sensitive to market and policy conditions. The preliminary financial analysis reports a negative net present value and a negative internal rate of return under the assumed parameters, concluding that replication projects would likely require at least 30% of CAPEX to be covered by public funding to become viable. This points to the importance of aligning mine redevelopment programmes with regional and national just transition instruments, as well as of designing off-take agreements and regulatory pathways (e.g., for grid blending) that lower investment risk. Finally, the project’s emphasis on training, re-skilling and stakeholder engagement is particularly relevant for post-mining revitalisation. The project framework includes explicit targets for training former miners and coal-mine managers, and for advising other coal mining companies on feasibility, embedding human-capital transition within the technical
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