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Methodology

The groundwater in our geothermal system is contained within a sandstone aquifer, an underground body of rock with flowing water. This aquifer, known as the Elland Flags, sits beneath much of the Leeds area. Aquifers like this can play a key part in shallow geothermal development, urban energy planning and national decarbonisation strategies.  

Our early investigations used existing data, like historical borehole records and geological maps, along with observations from local quarries. This helped us build a conceptual geological model. We then used this model to plan where to place the boreholes on campus and to guide the drilling campaign, taking into account features that can influence the flow of groundwater, such as faults and fractures in the ground.  

Drilling the boreholes has given us vast amounts of data, including over 500 m of rock core and associated geophysical measurements. Some of the boreholes have permanently installed fibre optic cables that can measure temperature and vibrations in the ground. There is also pipework that allows us to heat or cool the ground to understand how it will behave in an operating system. 

We will use data from the core samples and geophysical testing in computer simulations of the geothermal system. This will help us predict the long-term impact on the ground and ensure that we use the heat in a sustainable way. 

Our Living Lab facility and the models we create can facilitate our partnerships with Leeds City Council and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to advance geothermal energy usage both locally and nationally.