What is the story about?
What's Happening?
Arup, a multidisciplinary consultancy, is actively working to boost investor confidence in the UK's geothermal sector by providing technical, financial, policy, and strategic expertise. Jordan Weddepohl, a Chartered Senior Geologist and core member of Arup's Global Geothermal Team, emphasizes the importance of creating investor confidence in the market and the quality of resources to foster growth in the early-stage geothermal sector in the UK. Arup's initiatives include advocating for geothermal energy as a viable component of low-carbon solutions, integrating geothermal into client decarbonization strategies, and collaborating with various teams to optimize performance and resilience. The firm is also involved in international geothermal projects, sharing expertise across regions to benefit the UK market.
Why It's Important?
The development of geothermal energy in the UK is crucial for achieving a secure, resilient, and equitable low-carbon energy future. Geothermal energy provides reliable baseload heating, cooling, and power, which is essential for stabilizing energy networks and reducing reliance on backup systems. Arup's efforts to integrate geothermal into broader energy systems enhance system resilience and flexibility, supporting the UK's transition to a low-carbon economy. By addressing technical barriers and advocating for strategic investment and policy reform, Arup aims to unlock the UK's geothermal potential, contributing to national decarbonization goals and reducing energy price volatility.
What's Next?
Arup is advocating for a UK-wide geothermal exploration program targeting strategic public assets to generate valuable subsurface data and build investor confidence. The firm also supports the establishment of a government-backed research and demonstration initiative to advance drilling techniques and scalable well designs. These efforts aim to break the cycle where government awaits private investment and vice versa, accelerating deployment and supporting national decarbonization goals. Arup's roadmap for scaling geothermal by 2030 includes supporting current initiatives, establishing research programs, developing exploration programs, and appointing a governing body to oversee development.
Beyond the Headlines
Geothermal energy is increasingly considered in system planning and policy advisory work, particularly where subsurface synergies exist, such as thermal storage or carbon capture and storage. Arup's global work demonstrates that geothermal succeeds when treated as a core component of low-carbon infrastructure, not a niche technology. The UK has the technical capability; it now needs the strategic commitment to unlock its geothermal potential. By combining technical excellence with strategic insight, Arup helps unlock capital flows into geothermal and other low-carbon technologies, supporting the UK's energy transition.
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