If you are above old mine workings, why not turn them from a geohazard into a geo-heat source? www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Super excited to see our work on energy tunnels out in the wild. Northen Powerhouse Rail could be an ideal place to implement this, and we show the numbers can add up.

What is geothermal energy? Pleased to have helped the Institution of Civil Engineers produce this explainer for their membership and anyone else who is interested. www.ice.org.uk/news-views-i...

Wow, most amazing long weekend on Arran, with gorgeous weather and not as hot as elsewhere. Four days, 35 miles underfoot, over 4.5km of ascent/descent and 1500m of super easy grade rock climbing. Back to work for a rest tomorrow.

Hottest day of the year so far and this morning we have seen 4 snow ploughs driving on the A66. Do they know something we don't?

Fascinating afternoon/evening out in the field, downloading the first results of our water tracing experiment. Underground water flow really does sometimes do crazy things. Some Qs answered, more posed. So reset, and more dye set running to find out!

When Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social shared his article about why universities were in trouble and why they need investment, a Labour MP jumped in to say they weren’t a priority for her. She may be surprised at how many people are employed in universities and how important they are to the economy.

Today we are publishing a new policy brief on Affordable, secure and clean energy: The case for geothermal. www.leeds.ac.uk/policy-leeds.... Shallow geothermal is an untapped energy resource under many UK urban areas. It can contribute to lowering energy bills and increasing energy security. (1/3)

Great to get underground over the long weekend with some fab people. Thanks to @cancerphysicist.bsky.social for the pic! Good to see you again!

Finally a glorious weather weekend. And a long overdue hands on mountain rock excursion yesterday

📌 ICYMI — From Coal Tip to Clean Energy: The UK Projects Turning Former Mines Into Renewable Powerhouses Solar farms, wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps are breathing new life into former collieries. So why don't we hear more about them?

I'd been wanting a good analysis on what the alternatives are to gas setting price of electricity. As usual @carbonbrief.org has the answer www.carbonbrief.org/qa-why-does-...

The subsurface for energy storage is still the biggest battery available and we need to be thinking in that way.

The Lone Tree, Llyn Padarn near Llanberis in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, photo by Louise France, 'Wandering Welsh Girl'.

Its @constructionarium.bsky.social time again! Every year we come with our third year students to build cut down versions of classic structures. This year: Canary Wharf and North Greenwich stations, Millau Viaduct & Kingsgate bridge. Great progress on all projects today, and no rain!

Never mind their own contents list - most important is that there is geothermal energy on @quietriotpod.bsky.social

Oh look at that… with impeccable timing, @evanhd.bsky.social appears to be back talking about heat pumps on the BBC! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Applications open for a 3-year Post Doc position in Leeds (UK) on the #UKRI funded Still Waters project. We are looking for #hydrology #geomorphology modelling skills to embed surface hydrology into #malaria models with fieldwork in Zambia. Pls contact me for more details: tinyurl.com/3356rt44

Good work going on with the Mining Remediation Authority around getting heat from old mines and into our buildings. Featuring our fibre optic cable interrogating equipment being put to good use. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Even if we ultimately went underground, it was so good to see the sunshine yesterday.

Great to see this Aberdeen geothermal exploration make the news. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Will it ever stop raining? At least our maze cave mapping project is an all weather activity. Here is some of the new 140m of cave explored and documented last weekend. What will this weekend hold i wonder?

The world, which sometimes seams a terrible place these days, is feeling a much better place with @norcrosscricket.bsky.social and Alex Hartley on my radio again.

There are a lot of horrible things happening in the world. I can't offer answers, or even cat pics. But I have been having a go at taking some cave pics while away at new year. First time for a while. Hopefully you will like them.

What are the key things in the Warm Homes Plan? The headline is a big emphasis on electric technologies (sold, batteries, heat pumps), with less focus on insulation. That will reduce bills - we think getting the full solar-battery-heat pump combo saves £1,000 on a typical yearly energy bill…

I have been on a literally and social media holiday. While away I appeared on the One Show (segment recorded before Christmas) talking about heat pumps. Its great that such a mainstream show is covering this important topic. Should be available on iPlayer for another couple of weeks. #PumpItUp

Listening to a discussion about AI in university education with Amol Rajan & Prof Duncan Iveston on Radio 4 Today. Too short to get into the nuance of course, but an observation that copilot can do a literate review for you very quickly perfectly illustrates one of my main concerns with AI…1/1

📌 Gaping Gill is the highest unbroken underground waterfall in the UK Fell Beck crashes 100m to the floor of the cavern before draining through to Ingleborough Cave. The main chamber measures 129m long, 31m high, and 25m wide. 📸Martyn Farr #ChristmasCalendar #YorkshireDales

Almost a year since the Bridgewater Canal embankment failure. Canal embankments are the oldest of UK infrastructure, are deteriorating & at risk from climate change. Impounding water, they have high potential failure consequences. We more action to understand their condition and improve resilience.

Leeds is the largest city in Europe without some sort of rapid mass transit system. And they build the Christmas market on the cycle routes making it harder for me to get to work for 6 weeks of the year. Roll on the tram.

NEW RESEARCH: UK heat pumps can perform far better than many think. Our analysis of HeatPumpMonitor.org data shows well-designed systems achieve ~40% higher efficiency than past trials (SCoP 3.86 vs 2.81), cutting bills (~£224/yr) and emissions. Open access: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Literally the most important story in UK politics today. A low discount rate unlocks public investment in a much bigger array of infrastructure projects, as it changes how Government accounts for the future benefits of them.

Using old coal mines to heat homes? Gateshead is doing it. Their mine-water project—the UK’s largest—draws 15°C water from boreholes, uses heat pumps to boost it to 80°C, and sends that heat through an underground network. The system now warms 350+ homes and 23 buildings.

📢 ThreeLeeds students were involved in the University of York’s Deep Geothermal Project. The geophysics undergraduates gained hands-on field-work experience installing seismic sensors and learning how seismic surveys operate. 👀 Learn more about their experience: tinyurl.com/4mtxrhx8

“Underground worlds – caves of the Yorkshire Dales and Vietnam” is a new exhibition showcasing how Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the Yorkshire Dales boast some of the largest and longest cave systems 👇 https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/international-caving-exhibition-opens-in-hawes/

In case you missed it, Prof Fleur Loveridge @undertheground.bsky.social and Dr Emma Bramham presented at the GeoGrid Show & Tell event organised by project partner LCP Delta @lcp-delta.bsky.social at the end of September. 🎧 Listen to the talk: tinyurl.com/2vthca6h

We have a new (open access) paper on the opportunities (and challenges) for ground source heat pumps systems using shared ground loops (SGL). doi.org/10.1016/j.rs...

Prof Fleur Loveridge @undertheground.bsky.social will present the University of Leeds Geothermal Campus project at the West Midlands Regional Group of the Geological Society of London. 📅 09 December 2025 ⌛ 18:30 - 19:30 📍 Mott MacDonald offices, Birmingham & online Register 🔗 bit.ly/4rynn4y

🌍 Shaping a Low-Carbon Future 🌍 Our colleagues, Dr Adam Booth @geophysics-adam.bsky.social and Prof Fleur Loveridge @undertheground.bsky.social, are helping unlock the potential of geothermal energy in UK cities through the SmartRes project. More about the project👉 tinyurl.com/39bsbnww

So, good that electricity prices are coming down, but a missed opportunity to further incentivise heat pumps by also bringing down the elec to gas price ratio. Its a start, but more work needed.

I mean, if men can't bat properly, maybe they shouldn't be allowed to play test cricket.

Mine water district heating schemes provide an opportunity to involve communities in their energy futures.

Time to remember one of the best official football songs youtu.be/2T68AXsUAEI?...

Including with responsibility for geothermal energy.

More geothermal in the news: this time mine water heat and its potential to heat homes across much of the UK. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

We need a lot more of the utility model showcased here to get our heating decarbonised: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today is a good day to remind people that it is an order of magnitude safer to travel by train than by car.

A train has derailed near to Shap in Cumbria in northern England after it struck a landslide. Fortunately, it remained upright, so there is no loss of life. Some people have suffered minor injuries. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cz...

Lots of noise (rightly) about Gaza. Some about Ukraine. But always less about Sudan and Myanmar. The world must not stand by and forget about these places.