Scunthorpe General hospital in northern England is set to become a showcase for geothermal energy early in 2026, according to NHS North Lincolnshire and Goole, the NHS Foundation Trust that looks after the facility.
The Trust provided an update on timings for the project, which is being carried out by CeraPhi Energy Ltd, with works “due to be completed early next year,” it noted a statement.
“Geothermal energy will be used to heat some of our hospital buildings as part of a ground-breaking project to transform Scunthorpe General into one of the greenest healthcare sites in the UK,” it stated.
“The pioneering project will see us using reliable, green heat from deep below the grounds of the hospital, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and helping us to meet our Net Zero targets.”
The system is believed to be the deepest of its type ever installed in the UK and is part of a larger programme of improvements being made on the site, which also include replacing gas-fired boilers with state-of-the-art electric boilers and the construction of a new energy centre.
Other energy improvements include installing new car ports to house additional solar panels in the hospital’s car parks and upgrading the windows, roofing and building management system.
“We are proud to be one of the most pioneering NHS organisations in the country in using sustainable, green energy to power and heat our hospitals,” said Alex Best, group deputy director of capital services and sustainability.
“We believe this is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, we want to create healthy, clean environments for our patients, visitors and staff – and the wider communities living and working around our hospital sites.”
Best added: “We also want to invest in technology that will help to make our buildings more efficient, creating comfortable spaces for patients to heal and recuperate, that are more economical to run.
“This latest phase of works, that will see us using a geothermal system to heat some of our buildings at Scunthorpe is a really exciting development, which we hope will pave the way for similar schemes in the future.”
Gary Williams, chief operating officer of CeraPhi Energy Ltd, added: “We are immensely proud to be partnering with the NHS on this infrastructure project and we are committed to supporting Scunthorpe General Hospital in setting a new standard for sustainable healthcare.”