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Brief no. 14, 5 May 2026. David Barns, James Van Alstine, Fleur Loveridge, Emma Bramham, Simon Rees. 

Overview 

The UK’s Clean Power mission aims to deliver lower bills and greater energy security alongside decarbonisation. Utilising shallow geothermal beneath UK towns and cities can reduce peak electricity demand and strain on the grid and cut reliance on volatile fossil fuels.

Evidence from Leeds shows that there is substantial potential for shallow geothermal energy to contribute to Clean Power but that current energy planning frameworks overlook this resource. 

Key points

• Shallow geothermal is an untapped energy resource under many UK urban areas. 
• Shallow geothermal could contribute to lowering energy bills and increasing energy security as part of the Clean Energy Mission. 
• Research at Leeds finds reservoirs under the city centre could heat 350,000 homes. 
• Current energy planning frameworks do not account for geothermal resources and so overlook economically viable opportunities. 

This brief draws on research from Leeds to indicate the scale of the opportunity and the current barriers to deployment. 

Policy opportunity 

Decisions being taken now on heat electrification and grid upgrades will shape UK energy bills and security for decades. Integrating shallow geothermal into mainstream planning can reduce system costs, enhance resilience and ensure that the Clean Power transition delivers both affordability and security. 

Unlocking cost and security benefits 

To capture the benefits of shallow geothermal resources for the UK Clean Energy Mission three shifts are required: 

1. Make the subsurface visible in energy planning.

Integrate geothermal resource screening into heat network zoning and Regional Energy Strategic Plans to ensure domestic storage potential informs infrastructure investment decisions. Action for: Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), National Energy System Operator (NESO), and the British Geological Survey (BGS).

2. Align heat, electricity and grid planning.

Require joint assessment of heat demand, grid capacity and subsurface storage within Local Area Energy Planning and RESP processes, reducing duplicated infrastructure investment. Action for: DESNZ, NESO, and Local Authorities.

3. Enable geothermal to capture flexibility value.

Develop market mechanisms to incentivise interseasonal storage. Action for: DESNZ and Ofgem.

Develop a geothermal heat ownership model which aligns with industry and investor risk profiles around long-term system performance. Action for: DESNZ.

Further information 

The research projects on which the brief is based were funded by the 映客直播, Research England through the Policy Support Fund, and Ofgem through the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Geosolutions Leeds is an interdisciplinary research centre at the 映客直播, bringing together world-class experts in geology, engineering, social sciences, and creative industries to lead the way towards a clean-energy future. 

Read more on .

About the authors

Corresponding author: is an Associate Professor of Environmental Policy at the School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability, 映客直播. 

Email Dr James Van Alstine at J.VanAlstine@leeds.ac.uk. 

Author: (School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability), (School of Civil Engineering), (School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability), (School of Civil Engineering).  

Citation

To cite this policy brief, please reference: Barns et al (2026) Affordable, secure and clean energy: The case for geothermal. Brief No.14, Policy Leeds, 映客直播.