Europe

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 11 March 2025

A healthcare authority in Scotland, NHS Grampian, is exploring the potential for heating public facilities across Aberdeen using geothermal energy.

A feasibility study into the idea is now being carried out by TownRock Energy, in partnership with NHS Grampian, with £50,000 (US$65,000) in funding from the Scottish government’s Sustainable Estates team. The desktop study will look at whether local sites could provide a viable spot for one or more boreholes to harness naturally occurring sustainable energy from the rock thousands of metres underground. According to a statement by NHS Grampian, the idea could work in a similar way to the Eden Project’s heating system, a flagship eco project in the UK, where a hole just 25 cm wide delivers heat to one of the world’s largest indoor rainforests.

It said that geothermal energy has the potential to support not only health care facilities in Aberdeen but other public buildings too. “It’s estimated there’s enough untapped deep geothermal energy to heat the whole of the UK, and we’re hoping to provide a leading example here in Aberdeen,” said Alan Wilson, director of infrastructure and sustainability at NHS Grampian. “It works by pumping cold water down which comes back hot enough to heat our buildings. It’s renewable, safe and has a low impact on the surrounding landscape because the hole is so narrow.”

David Townsend, TownRock Energy CEO, said the sites the company is now exploring have been identified as potentially having the right geology for deep geothermal heat and power. He said the feasibility study is enabling it to look depth and build a business case with NHS Grampian for wider development. “We’re considering whether the geothermal wells would have to go 2 km, 3 km or 5 km down. What we’re not sure of yet is whether the ground may still be super cooled from the last ice age and how deep this cooling extends into the ground. If predictions are right, we may see a sudden increase in temperature at depths greater than 2 km,” he said. “When people hear the word geothermal, they often think about active volcanic and tectonic areas, like Iceland or Italy, where hot rocks have been producing power for over a hundred years. But recent advances in engineering mean that lower temperature resources in geologically stable regions are now usable. It’s hoped that this could be the case for Aberdeen.”

It is also fitting, perhaps, that the project is taking place in Aberdeen, for years known as the capital of Scotland’s offshore oil and gas industry, but a place now moving into new, sustainable alternative areas including supporting the growth of the UK’s wind sector. Wilson added that geothermal technology is also evolving rapidly, in countries like the Netherlands and the USA, which makes it an exciting opportunity in Aberdeen. “This study is the very first step in what would be a long journey, but it could help us make progress towards becoming a net zero organisation,” he said. “We’re working to change the way we use NHS buildings and land more widely. Curbing emissions and supporting biodiversity ultimately supports public health by delivering less pollution, cleaner air and cleaner water.”

He added, “We already have a biomass boiler at the Foresterhill Health Campus which contributes to a district heating network with Royal Cornhill Hospital. But we also continue to use a lot of gas. Test of change projects using a range of technologies have and will continue to transform lighting, insulation, heat sources and renewable energy generation for our buildings.” Scotland’s Health Secretary, Neil Gray, welcomed NHS Grampian’s commitment to decarbonisation of energy for its buildings. “The Scottish Government have set targets for NHS Scotland to achieve a 75% reduction in building energy use compared to the 1990 baseline by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040,” he said.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 4 March, 2025

The drilling of the exploratory geothermal well GT-1 (VGGT-1) marks the final stage of research into the geothermal potential of the Velika Gorica area.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 3 March 2025

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) has welcomed the recognition of the critical role of geothermal energy in the European Union's (EU) newly announced Action Plan for Affordable Energy, but says more needs to be done

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 27 Feb, 2025

Ignis H2 Energy has awarded PROCUBEX the drilling consultancy services contract for an upcoming geothermal deep wells campaign in Türkiye.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 26 February, 2025

A number of old fossil fuel wells in northern England that were being lined up for fracking could now set a template for the future of the UK's geothermal industry.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 24 Feb, 2025

The European Geothermal Council has announced EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg as the winner of the Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award 2025.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 19 Feb, 2025

Well engineering and well management specialist Elemental Energies (Elemental) has announced a joint venture with geothermal drilling contractor Iceland Drilling Company (Iceland Drilling) for the provision of integrated well engineering and project delivery solutions for the global geothermal market.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 18 Feb, 2025

Energy ministers from 27 EU member states, in view of a genuine Energy Union, discussed the future of energy policy and adopted conclusions on geothrmal energy

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 13 Feb 2025

Production figures for geothermal energy in the Netherlands for 2024 show a slight growth, but more needs to be done if the country is to meet its forward targets.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 12 Feb, 2025

Vulcan Energy has announced its in-house drilling company Vercana has begun activities to set up the V20 drilling rig at the Schleidberg drilling site near Landau, Germany.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 11 Feb, 2025

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) and Geothermie-Suisse are delighted to announce that the European Geothermal Congress (EGC) will be held on 6-10 October 2025 in Zürich, Switzerland.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 06 Feb, 2025

Dutch company Yeager Energy has secured an investment from Pioneer Point Partners LLP worth more than €100mn to grow its geothermal energy and infrastructure business.