Construction of the biggest renewable energy project commences in Nottinghamshire
British Geological Survey's Geothermal Heat Pump Project Advances in Nottinghamshire
The British Geological Survey (BGS) has reached the halfway point in its ground-source heat pump (GSHP) project at its headquarters in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. This project serves as a geothermal ‘living laboratory’, exploring sustainable underground heat energy.
Project Progress
The project, worth £1.7 million, is the largest renewable energy system of its kind in the area. Key milestones and associated visits by stakeholders, such as local MPs in September 2024, suggest steady advancement. The drilling and heat pump installation for the project is expected to last around three months, with the project currently at its midpoint as of August 2025.
Benefits and Significance
The project aims to demonstrate the viability of ground-source heat pumps to decarbonize heating, aligning with broader UK goals on net zero emissions and energy security. Ground-source heat pumps are an effective renewable geothermal technology that can provide heating and cooling while reducing carbon footprint compared to fossil fuels.
More broadly, initiatives like this contribute data and experience that feed into national geothermal potentials and planning tools, supporting decarbonization of heating and energy use across the UK.
Role of Pick Everard and Cenergist
Pick Everard, a company leading the scheme, has managed the initial investigation and subsequent installation of the borehole array. The borehole installation should not impact Keyworth site operations due to careful planning and specification involved in the project.
Although the search results do not explicitly mention Cenergist in connection with the BGS geothermal heat pump project, Cenergist is recognized as a UK-based consultancy specializing in sustainable energy solutions, including heat pumps and geothermal projects.
Impact and Future Prospects
The new energy system will replace gas boilers and heat two buildings on the BGS’s Keyworth campus. The project is funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the UK government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. The project aims to save British Geological Survey's headquarters 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
The project forms part of BGS's decarbonisation plans and is supported by Cenergist, which is helping the BGS achieve its net zero by 2040 goals. The BGS is also involved in developing digital tools and platforms, such as the UK Geothermal Platform, which map geothermal potential and provide accessible data to policymakers, developers, and researchers.
Daniel Crow, head of BGS Estates and Facilities, stated that the project allows for the blending of subsurface observation with low-carbon heating. Ross Goodband, senior environmental engineer at Pick Everard, stated that the project has facilitated several research experiments.
The project comes after recent research suggesting that the UK is falling behind on heat pump targets. The successful implementation of this project could serve as a catalyst for wider adoption of geothermal heat pump systems across the UK.
- The British Geological Survey's geothermal heat pump project, worth £1.7 million, is primarily a renewable energy endeavor, focusing on ground-source heat pumps, which forms part of broader UK goals for decarbonizing heating and achieving net zero emissions.
- The project, situated at the BGS headquarters in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, is the largest renewable energy system of its kind in the area, and it will be managed by Pick Everard, an esteemed company leading the scheme that specializes in sustainability and renewable energy solutions.
- The successful advancement of this project contributes to the data and experience collected in the field of environmental science, aiding the UK in planning future geothermal projects that aim to replace fossil fuel-based systems, support the growth of the renewable energy industry, and curb environmental degradation.
