Closure as a New Beginning: Repurposing Post-Mining Sites into Industrial Eco-Parks Backed by Virtual Power Plants

The accelerated closure of hard coal mines across Europe contrasts with Poland’s continued structural reliance on coal extraction and coal-based power generation, increasing the urgency of credible post-mining development models. This article investigates the potential transformation of the end-of-life Bobrek coal mine in Bytom (Poland), drawing on methodological and business-model insights from the European Union (EU) Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) POTENTIALS and GreenJOBS projects. A combined methodological framework is applied, including structural analysis to identify key transformation variables, morphological analysis to explore alternative redevelopment pathways, and multicriteria assessment to configure coherent scenarios integrating renewable energy systems and circular-economy activities. The results show that an industrial eco-park backed by a virtual power plant (VPP), comprising photovoltaic installations, a mine-water-based geothermal heating system, and small-scale wind turbines, is technically feasible and environmentally sustainable. In parallel, three circular-economy business lines, the recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic panels, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and refrigeration units, were assessed as possible economic cores of the envisaged eco-park. Overall, the proposed model enables effective reuse of mining infrastructure, supports low-emission industrial activity, and aligns with EU climate policy objectives. The Bobrek site may serve as a reference for post-mining redevelopment in other coal regions.