Newark and Sherwood identified as potential host for future carbon-neutral geothermal energy plant in MP’s investigation

Newark and Sherwood could be a key location in the move to carbon-neutral energy in the UK.

A ground-breaking new report delivered to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has named Newark and Sherwood as one of 45 potential future locations for a network of underground hot water plants that could heat homes and buildings through natural heat energy found deep underground.

Backbench MP Dr Kieran Mullan was asked to conduct a review of the potential of deep geothermal energy for the UK by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and asked to continue the review by Prime Minister Sunak. He visited Munich as part of his review to see first-hand how it works and the impact it is having.

Published this week, the report reveals a scientific analysis by Durham University has identified Newark and Sherwood as one the 45 local authority areas across the country that could host a plant.

Dr Mullan said: “Deep geothermal energy is heating more than 250,000 homes in Paris and many more across Europe. It is a clean, green, reliable resource that we have fallen behind in making use of. I got to see for myself how quietly and efficiently this hot water can be utilised. No one would know the little building I visited [in Munich] next to a park and a school was heating the local swimming pool, businesses, town hall and hundreds of homes.”

The MP explained that Newark and Sherwood sits above a limestone aquifier, a porous rock that water flows through — making it a great candidate for deep geothermal technology.

Deep geothermal energy is a carbon-neutral resource that uses the heat from naturally occurring underground water sources to generate a large amount of usable energy and is already being used to generate two-thirds of the energy in Iceland, and contributes to heating homes and businesses in Germany, France and the Netherlands.

While used historically via naturally occurring hot springs, like the Roman Baths, modern technology can allow it to be accessed artificially through drilling into aquifers to access warm water below.

Unlike fracking, which uses high pressure, deep geothermal uses the natural flow of water in rocks deep underground to capture heat. It can be flowed naturally up to the surface, have the heat extracted from it and then flow back down to be reheated.

An exact site for a plant in the district has not been selected, and would be identified after more investigation such as ground radar tests. Plants can be built in 12 to 18 months depending on the geology of the area.

The MP further explained that an entire plant heating thousands of homes can sit on a site as small as one acre.

He said: “They don’t emit sound or smoke and aren’t an eye sore like wind turbines and solar panels can be. The plant itself consists of two bore holes drilled down to allow the water to flow up and back down. The heat is captured via a heat exchanger which is then piped to peoples homes and in place of a boiler you will have an even smaller heat exchanger in your home where your boiler would’ve been and allowing you to control the temperature in the same way.”

Building a network of plants is also said to be able to contribute 35,000 jobs to the economy by 2050.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “We have made rapid progress on switching to homegrown renewable electricity and have made energy security a key priority. Success is going to depend on pulling all the levers at our disposal. I want to thank Kieran for producing this excellent report which will help us consider whether there is a bigger role for deep geothermal. The findings on how developing this technology overlaps with opportunities to level up really add to our understanding of the possible benefits and I know Grant [Shapps, energy security secretary] will look at this closely.”

MP Mr Shapps added: “Every renewable has its strengths and weaknesses, and this report highlights how deep geothermal is working well in Europe and how it can potentially contribute in the UK. I welcome this report because I want to be sure we aren’t missing any opportunities here in the UK. Thank you to Kieran for championing the cause and producing this work to help us better understand the possible benefits and how we might move forward.”

The report also revealed a strong overlap with potential sites for deep geothermal and areas identified as suffering from deprivation as part of the levelling up agenda.

Dr Mullan added: “In a stark finding, of the top ten local authorities found to be most in need of levelling up, six are included in the list of high potential locations for a deep geothermal plant. 44% of the list of high potential locations for deep geothermal fall within the top 100 levelling up locations. That is three times the amount you would expect as a result of chance.

“This highlights that investment in deep geothermal is investment that is likely to contribute to the levelling up agenda which remains a key government priority.”

“The remarkable findings about deep geothermal and levelling up were unexpected. But they give us yet another reason to look again at how we can support this technology.

“Unlike wind or solar this technology provides baseload — it is there constantly. And our expertise in drilling in the North Sea mean we are well placed to motor ahead. But we have catching up to do because across Europe there has been much stronger government intervention to support nascent deep geothermal industries in those countries.”

The energy source also has wide support from academic and environmental groups, including Greenpeace and the United Nations.

Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Greenhouses in Cornwall, which is building one of the first UK plants, previously said: “Since we began, Eden has had a dream that the world should be powered by renewable energy. The sun can provide massive solar power and the wind has been harnessed by humankind for thousands of years, but because both are intermittent and battery technology cannot yet store all we need there is a gap.

“We believe the answer lies beneath our feet in the heat underground that can be accessed by drilling technology that pumps water towards the centre of the Earth and brings it back up superheated to provide us with heat and electricity.”

The report also includes findings of a sector survey that found some form of tariff guarantee decided by auction or at a set price was needed to kick start investment until the industry grows to be cost effective. The approach would shift the risk to industry instead of the taxpayer.

Mr Mullan added: “Our historical approach has been grant based which can be slow and bureaucratic and pushes the risk onto the taxpayer. A tariff based approach would let industry invest and put its money on the line. But I am confident, that as with solar and wind, the industry would quickly be able to stand on its own two feet.”

The MP belives this opportunity for Newark and Sherwood could provide energy and employment for years to come and Dr Mullan has written to council leaders and the area’s MPs to arrange a meeting to discuss how they can take the opportunity forward.

Of the 45 potential locations identified, six are Nottinghamshire local authority areas, four Lincolnshire, three Derbyshire and one in Leicestershire

Neighbouring local authority areas of Bassetlaw, North Kesteven, South Kesteven, and Rushcliffe are among them.