£1m investment in geothermal pilot to unlock heat beneath our feet
The Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot (AGFP) is an ambitious city-wide collaboration to explore Aberdeen’s geological potential and pave the way for low-carbon heating solutions.
Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot
The University of Aberdeen is leading an exciting project to reveal the potential of the heat that lies beneath our feet. This multi-phase project will couple borehole data with a city-wide geological model, necessary to de-risk future geothermal investment and accelerate Aberdeen’s transition to a sustainable energy future. The data we collect will be openly available, helping other places predict their own geothermal potential, while reaffirming the University’s position as a global leader in sustainable energy research and education.
What is geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is natural heat stored underground. It is a reliable and constant source of renewable energy. Geothermal energy is low carbon and can help contribute to local and global net-zero targets. At the depths and temperatures we are interested in, it could provide clean, reliable warmth for homes, universities, hospitals, and other public buildings. In our project we plan to use standard, well-regulated scientific drilling techniques and measure temperature, geology and groundwater conditions to understand how heat flows through the rocks under the entire city.
Project news
Nodal seismometers deployed
We have deployed 32 seismic nodes across the University campus, ahead of our city-wide deployment in early 2026.
AGFP to be presented at Geothermal 2026 conference
The Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot (AGFP) will be presenting at Geothermal 2026 in March, organised by SPE and in our home city of Aberdeen.
Project progress
Project launch
Project kickstarted with an online meeting with 50 attendees, including partners and industry representatives.
Borehole planning
Borehole plan submitted to Aberdeen City Council. We plan to drill a 500m deep borehole on campus to provide an observatory for measuring rock properties and temperature.
Funding
Formal announcement of the award of a £1m capital grant from UKRI - NERC to drill a research borehole on the University of Aberdeen campus to explore the geothermal potential of our city.
Node deployment
Initial seismic node deployment on the University campus. 32 seismic nodes will collect ambient seismic noise data over the festive period to test subsurface conditions. A city-wide node deployment will follow in the early 2026.
Partnership
Since our initial project launch seminar, we’ve built a 53 strong (and growing) community of organisations who have expressed support for geothermal in Aberdeen, and a core group of 10 partners all passionate about advancing geothermal in Aberdeen (and beyond).
Community engagement
We’re striving to engage communities as well as organisations in our project to accelerate geothermal in Aberdeen. We have launched this website, received a motion in the Scottish Parliament (S6M-20095), and been active in radio, TV and news articles.
Help us make a 3D map under Aberdeen city
If you live in Aberdeen you can fill in this simple form to register your interest in hosting one of our seismic nodes for 1-2 months that will help image the rocks under Aberdeen city. You will need to have access to a small green space and give us your name and postcode.
Objectives
The Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot (AGFP) is a transdisciplinary research and infrastructure project that directly addresses strategic priorities in Earth science, environmental change and sustainable energy.
- Advancing UK environmental science
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AGFP will generate the first high-resolution geological and geothermal datasets for the Aberdeen granite pluton and surrounding rocks. By drilling and instrumenting a research borehole (>500 m) and deploying ~100 passive seismic nodes, the project will create open datasets on crustal heat flow, hydrogeology and subsurface structure of national and international research value.
- Local to global impact
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Geothermal feasibility demonstration with innovative drilling and geophysical methods, coupled with public awareness, will enable replication and application to all urban locations.
- Enabling the UK’s low-carbon energy transition
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Heating is a major source of UK greenhouse-gas emissions. By quantifying the geothermal potential of the Aberdeen granite, the project provides the scientific evidence base for a new renewable heat source, contributing to UK Net Zero targets and commitment to climate solutions.
- Delivering national capability and open data
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All seismic, borehole and heat-flow data will be curated as open-access assets for the UK research community, creating a permanent “living laboratory” that supports future funding applications, PhD projects and cross-disciplinary collaborations (e.g. hydrogeology, geochemistry, geomechanics).
- Partnership and societal impact
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The AGFP consortium links the University of Aberdeen with the British Geological Survey, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council, University of Leeds, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen Heat and Power, TU Delft, the National Geothermal Centre, the Net Zero Technology Centre, Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, and industry partners, providing an exemplary model of research-to-impact. Future skills training and a public “fuel-poverty and heating atlas” project phases ensure the science is embedded in community decision-making.
Project partners and supporters
AGFP is supported by a broad consortium of collaborator and partner organisations including Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Heat and Power, Robert Gordon University, the University of Leeds Campus Geothermal Project, the British Geological Survey, TU Delft, National Geothermal Centre, and the Net Zero Technology Centre, alongside several experienced and skilled geothermal industry partners and individuals.