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It’s possible to pump heat – or cold – into large areas of these “sponges” and then take the hot or cold out again via a fluid when required, to warm or cool down dwellings. Such a system could be even more efficient than hot water reservoirs in caverns, Prof Jackson says. <\/p>\n
Despite numerous aquifer thermal energy storage installations in Europe – there are thousands in the Netherlands, for instance – it remains rare in the UK.<\/p>\n
“That’s a technology which is not that prevalent [here],” says Prof Jackson. “We have 11 installations operational at the moment.”<\/p>\n
One example is the luxury Chelsea Barracks complex in London, which is being redeveloped into a residential and commercial area. Between 2015 and 2018, an aquifer thermal energy storage system was installed by a Belgian company, AGT. <\/p>\n
Aquifers suitable for this sort of thing are plentiful around the UK, however, and often conveniently located right under cities, notes Prof Jackson. <\/p>\n
And yet, the UK is arguably falling behind on making use of underground thermal energy resources.<\/p>\n
“The main barriers to deployment in the UK are not around technical suitability,” says Prof Jackson. “They’re really around awareness of developers that this is a solution.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n