Britain’s buried treasure: The game-changing heat source that could transform the UK’s energy future

It could power our homes, rejuvenate struggling towns and slash our carbon footprint, yet most Brits have never even heard of it

A new high-level snapshot from geothermal pioneers TownRock Energy has revealed a staggering untapped opportunity beneath the UK’s soil: geothermal heat. And according to experts, it could be the missing piece in the country’s energy puzzle—if we act fast.

Two simple maps have sparked fresh interest in what some are now calling the forgotten solution to the UK’s heating crisis. The maps highlight two key sources of natural underground heat: minewater from long-abandoned coal mines, and hot sedimentary aquifers—underground layers of heated water-bearing rock. Together, they cover a significant percentage of the UK’s landmass.

But while this clean, reliable energy source quietly bubbles away beneath our feet, policy attention and investment remain lukewarm at best.

Yet the benefits are hard to ignore.

Experts say geothermal heat could decarbonise huge swathes of homes and businesses, replacing polluting gas boilers with renewable, local energy. It aligns perfectly with the government’s “levelling up” agenda, offering a second life to post-industrial communities across the Midlands, the North, and South Wales. Former coalfields could once again fuel the nation, this time with green heat.

The opportunity is vast: creating new jobs, reskilling former oil and gas workers, boosting energy security, and significantly reducing reliance on volatile foreign gas markets. It’s an economic, environmental, and social win all rolled into one.

And all this, from two simple maps.

So why isn’t the UK racing ahead?

As with so many promising ideas, the problem lies not in the potential but in the perception. Geothermal often gets bogged down by technical jargon, geological complexity, and a lack of public awareness. Investors are hesitant, policymakers distracted, and the public largely unaware this is even an option.

“It’s not just about drilling into rock,” one insider told us. “It’s about drilling through layers of inertia, doubt and disinterest”.

The sector is also decades behind its European neighbours. Countries like the Netherlands, Germany and France have embraced geothermal, weaving it into their national energy plans. The UK? Still stuck in the early stages, with no clear national strategy.

To move forward, geothermal advocates argue we need a public-facing campaign: one that sparks curiosity, builds trust, and captures the imagination.

That means starting with the basics—awareness, education, and confidence-building. Dispelling outdated fears. Showing the science. Telling the human stories. Making geothermal not just understood, but exciting.

Crucially, this isn’t just a pitch for engineers and energy wonks. It’s a conversation for everyone, from national and local government, to utilities, public sector organisations, commercial users, and households. The message? You could be heating your home with clean, British energy—not expensive imported gas.

So where’s the plan? Do any major utilities have a geothermal transition strategy? Do councils know about the economic regeneration potential?

Right now, there’s a race on, and Britain is starting from behind. If we want to catch up, it will take bold leadership, visionary thinking, and above all, visibility.

Because as one energy strategist put it: “You need both sizzle and sausage—but you have to get the sizzle going first.”

And that starts now.