Geosolutions team involved in geothermal exploration on campus

February 2024 saw the start of a highly anticipated explorative geothermal drilling programme on campus. The aim of the work is to understand the potential for low carbon geothermal heating and cooling, to contribute to the University of Leeds' Climate Plan achieving our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Geosolutions Leeds researchers have been heavily involved in planning the work with the University Facilities Directorate contributing their expertise to integrate a research programme into the drilling programme. This will involve permanently instrumenting 4 thermal response boreholes and 2 pilot boreholes with fibre optics, as well as carrying out geophysical monitoring around the site. Core samples, core logs and groundwater samples will also be taken from the boreholes on site to provide further information about the geology and groundwater of the aquifer under campus. This will produce a live research dataset as the project progresses.

The data output from this project will be combined with fieldwork and baseline modelling studies that the team have been working hard on as the project has developed over the past year. This integration of fieldwork, modelling and site data will help us to understand the subsurface conditions and potential for geothermal energy both under campus, but more widely across the Leeds city region. This will contribute valuable new research insights as well as provide a fantastic teaching opportunity across the University, and more widely through out Living Lab  programme.

This work has generated significant interest from across the University and more widely, and a summary or articles about the project is presented below:

Professor Fleur Loveridge discusses the project with Ground Engineering Magazine: https://www.geplus.co.uk/news/university-of-leeds-drills-test-boreholes-for-geothermal-project-to-heat-campus-06-02-2024/

Communication activities to student community: https://twitter.com/UoLStudents/status/1753083678345900529?s=20

News story in Think GeoEnergy  https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/geothermal-heating-being-explored-at-university-of-leeds-uk/

News story in Energy Live News https://www.energylivenews.com/2024/01/25/leeds-uni-digs-deep-for-geothermal-gold/