What lies beneath your feet makes East Mids one of the 'super regions'

THE East Midlands is one of eight “super regions” in the UK identified by geologists to have the best potential to host energy transition technologies, including geothermal energy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

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The findings, published by the British Geological Survey (BGS), show the UK has an incredibly diverse subsurface, which can play a key role in supporting efforts to reach the country’s legally binding climate goals.

Many areas have geology that is well suited to certain net zero technologies, including shallow geothermal installations or critical minerals occurrences.

But BGS scientists say eight super regions contain subsurface formations and conditions that are favourable to multiple different technologies within a relatively small area.

These are Northern Ireland, the Scottish Central Belt, north-east England, north-west England, the South Yorkshire and Humber region, the East Midlands and East Anglia, South Wales and south-west England.

Here, the subsurfaces can provide a sustainable heat source for geothermal energy, geological formations for secure storage of energy and carbon dioxide (CO2), rocks containing important resources for mineral extraction, and suitable geological foundation conditions for onshore and offshore wind infrastructure projects, the scientists said.