Geobattery – From Galleries to Calories
Soil Engineering providing expert drilling services to the University of Edinburgh’s Geobattery project
The Coatbridge team of Soil Engineering’s Specialist Geoservices unit have secured a prestigious contract with the University of Edinburgh to provide the first borehole of their Geobattery Research Project. Drawing on specialist experience of drilling deep holes in coal bearing strata from within both our Ground Investigation and Grouting teams, the project will see our expert drilling crew forming a borehole to intersect legacy mine workings at a depth of approximately 170m outside the village of Roslin, Midlothian.
About the wider project
The Geobattery project is an innovative initiative led by the University of Edinburgh, aiming to repurpose legacy mine workings as sustainable heat storage and transport networks. By utilizing these abandoned subterranean structures, the project seeks to harness low-enthalpy geothermal heat (temperatures below 40°C) naturally present in the subsurface, making it accessible for regional heat pump extraction. This approach not only provides a renewable energy source but also offers a novel method for recycling waste industrial heat.
The Geobattery Project Team
The Geobattery project is collaborative programme, featuring the expertise of several key partners:
- University of Edinburgh: Leading the project with expertise in geosciences and renewable energy research.
- University of Strathclyde: Contributing through the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, focusing on dynamic monitoring technologies.
- TownRock Energy: Providing industry expertise in geothermal energy solutions.
- Scene Connect: Offering insights into environmental assessment and social impact analysis
Soil Engineering are in the early stages of drilling works, with the main borehole collar installed, and rotary activities progressing under the supervision of both our own expert team and the project delivery partners.
