As the news feels increasingly dominated by scepticism towards climate action and stories that downplay the urgency of the climate and nature emergency, I often find myself craving good news, especially stories that offer real solutions and hope. Most of us experience climate coverage regularly: about half of people in major countries report seeing news about climate change on a weekly basis, yet many also say they encounter false or misleading climate information in that coverage too. Across eight countries in a recent Reuters-Institute survey, around 25 % of people said they saw misleading climate content weekly, with figures in the UK around 17 %, while trust in climate news has remained roughly unchanged year-to-year.
I wish we saw more of the positive, solution-focused stories in the press, stories that remind us that change isn’t just necessary, it’s happening. One such story comes from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS): a fresh report suggests that hospitals could tap into a largely untapped renewable source, geothermal energy — to heat facilities, cut carbon emissions, and support community well-being.
Why Geothermal Energy Makes Sense for Hospitals
Hospitals are large, always-on buildings with high and reliable demand for heating, hot water, and indoor comfort, a perfect match for geothermal systems, which provide consistent, 24/7 heat regardless of weather conditions. Unlike solar or wind, geothermal heat doesn’t fluctuate; the earth’s underground temperature stays stable year-round, making it ideal for base-load heating and hot water production.
The new report highlights that many NHS estates, in cities like Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool — sit above geothermal resources and already run central heating systems. This means geothermal could slot into existing infrastructure far more easily than many other renewables.
Real Projects, Real Impact
This isn’t some distant idea — it’s already happening:
-
🏥 Scunthorpe General Hospital in northern England is converting its existing deep borehole into a source of geothermal heat, supplying renewable warmth to its buildings and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
-
🏨 Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham is drilling dozens of boreholes to draw heat for use in heating and cooling.
-
🏬 Hartlepool Hospital is combining ground source heat pumps with solar arrays to cut emissions and meet sustainability targets.
These projects showcase how healthcare estates can be pioneers in low-carbon heating — and point the way for other public buildings to follow.
Why This Matters to Eco Communities
Geothermal energy ticks lots of the boxes that matter to readers like you:
🌿 Big carbon reductions – Geothermal heat can dramatically cut emissions compared with gas or oil boilers.
💡 Reliable and cost-stable – Once installed, geothermal systems deliver decades of low-carbon heat with minimal ongoing fuel costs.
🏘️ Community benefit potential – In future, hospital geothermal systems could be linked into wider district heating networks, sharing heat with local homes, businesses, and community buildings.
Turning Good Ideas into Mainstream Action
The report urges government support, from streamlined planning to funding incentives — so geothermal can compete with better-known renewables like wind and solar. For communities concerned about climate solutions and local resilience, this is the kind of smart, long-term thinking that deserves wider attention.
A Hopeful Story Worth Sharing
At a moment when much climate news can feel discouraging or conflicted, stories like this remind us that real decarbonisation is already underway, even beneath our feet. Hospitals across the UK embracing geothermal energy show that clean energy solutions can be practical, impactful, and community-anchored — not distant or abstract.
Let’s celebrate these steps forward — and share them widely so that good news can become part of the climate conversation that so many of us want to see in the headlines. 🌎🔥
Extra reading
From my research being new to this while Cheshire does not yet have a commercial geothermal heat plant in operation, the region is actively involved in research, testing, and exploratory projects that could pave the way for future geothermal heat use, especially for large public-sector buildings or community heat networks. The local observatory in particular places Cheshire at the heart of UK efforts to unlock geothermal energy potential. Of course Cheshire is home to the UK Geoenergy Observatory at Thornton Science Park, a world-class research facility built by the British Geological Survey (BGS). This facility supports at-scale experiments and monitoring of underground conditions that are essential for understanding how geothermal heat and subsurface energy storage might be used to decarbonise heating in homes, businesses and public buildings across Britain. The observatory gives researchers valuable data on heat flow, rock properties and aquifer behaviour, a foundation for future geothermal projects.
Historical Feasibility Studies
Past work commissioned by Cheshire West & Chester Council looked at the feasibility of deep geothermal heat for local buildings, such as sports centres in Ellesmere Port, including modelling of deep geothermal resource potential. This indicates longstanding local interest in understanding the geology for future geothermal use.
Ground Testing for New Leighton Hospital in Crewe
As part of plans for a new hospital in Crewe, engineers are carrying out thermal testing at the site to assess whether ground source heat pumps or geothermal systems might be suitable for future use. This involves drilling a borehole and measuring how well heat moves through the ground — a key step before installing any large-scale underground heating system. The work is tied to the hospital’s sustainability goals and net-zero directives.
The Engineer – GT Energy to deliver geothermal heat plant to NHS Trust
Geothermal Energy for the Healthcare Sector – Star Energy Group
