UK Geothermal Heat Potential Models for Early Carboniferous Limestone

A 2023 raster model shows the P50 distribution of theoretical 'heat-in-place' for early Carboniferous limestone aquifers in Great Britain at a 2500 m resolution. The dataset, produced by the British Geological Survey, calculates heat resources with temperatures greater than 50 degrees Celsius, the threshold for direct heat use. The research underpinning this data is published in Geothermics (2023).

Use Cases

• Mapping regional geothermal potential based on modelled heat-in-place values.
• Identifying areas suitable for direct heat use based on the >50°C temperature threshold.
• Supporting subsurface resource planning for hot sedimentary aquifers.
• Analyzing the spatial distribution of heat resources in specific geological formations.

Strengths

• Model is based on peer-reviewed research published in 2023.
• Data has a defined spatial resolution of 2500 meters.
• Heat calculation uses a standardized USGS definition for resource characterization.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Areas of high uncertainty are noted but not explicitly delineated within the dataset itself.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Modelled raster data based on published research by D J.R. Jones et al. (2023).

Time Range

Model reflects 2023 research; temporal coverage of underlying data is not specified.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-09 08:26:13.082994; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Britain, focusing on northern and southern early Carboniferous limestone areas.