It also highlighted how investment in geothermal energy could deliver an economic boost to the regions of the UK – including the North East and Yorkshire. The paper was developed by the British Geological Survey and Arup.

BGS has now produced a supplementary evidence report, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), containing additional information, including:

• a review of the international geothermal landscape including financial incentives, risk sharing and regulation.

• a more detailed assessment of UK geothermal prospects, including new data and analyses from recent geological studies.

• potential regional economic and social impacts of geothermal energy.

• an analysis of key challenges within the context of international geothermal experiences.

descriptions of the methodologies adopted in developing the white paper, including stakeholder engagement, and how evidence was collected, analysed and translated into a set of recommendations.

Since its publication in July 2023, the white paper has also been updated to include a foreword by Lord Callanan, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, who writes:

“The development of the deep geothermal energy sector in the UK has the potential to meet multiple priorities and deliver on both our Net Zero objectives and energy security ambition, and the Government looks forward to working with those who have prepared this report to drive it forward”.

“The case for deep geothermal energy” is available here.

The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is a collaboration of six Combined Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships, created by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to accelerate its partner’s Net Zero ambitions.

The Hub is making Net Zero happen across the North East and Yorkshire, developing regional energy strategy, supporting and accelerating the development of local and regional, low and zero carbon heat and energy projects and delivering investment programmes in housing retrofit and public sector decarbonisation. To date the Hub has supported over 100 clean energy and heat projects, saving over a million tonnes of carbon and creating over 1.3GW of clean, green energy, and upgrading the energy efficiency of over 7000 local homes.

The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is part of a national network of five local Net Zero Hubs, and it’s partners are North of Tyne Combined Authority/North East LEP, The North Yorkshire Council, Hull and East Riding LEP, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Tees Valley Combined Authority and the South Yorkshire Combined Authority.