The geothermal resource of Permo-Triassic basins in the UK

Summary

Permo-Triassic basins offer significant potential for geothermal energy in the UK
• Six Permo-Triassic basins in the UK are summarised here from legacy reports; the East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Basin, the Wessex Basin, the Worcester Basin, the Cheshire and West Lancashire basins, the Carlisle Basin and the basins of Northern Ireland
• The total geothermal potential of the Permo-Triassic basins is estimated as 326 EJ1, with 6 per cent of resource temperatures at over 60°C (mainly in the Wessex, Cheshire and Northern Irish basins), 41 per cent at 40 to 60°C, and 53 per cent at 20 to 40°C
• Many of these resources are close to urban settlements
• Permo-Triassic rocks can typically be exploited via geothermal doublets, for direct use heat, or with heat pumps for heating, cooling and thermal storage
• Geothermal energy can be used in district heating networks