Milton Keynes scientists discover major new clean energy source hidden underneath car park

The team from Linford Wood-based remote sensing company Metatek have been working on a knowledge exchange project with the University of Manchester.

They used legacy data acquired in the 1980s for exploration below the surface of Manchester, together with newly acquired land gravity measurements, to produce a simplified variation of the airborne technology used worldwide by Metatek to detect natural resources.

And 2,000 metres below the university surface, they struck gold to find a source of cheap and clean energy.

Dr David Johnstone, who is a geothermal energy specialist and Senior Geoscientist at Metatek, said: “Our project, and subsequent work, provides the building blocks to create a detailed 3D geological model of the strata beneath the University campus, allowing us to select a drill location that could target high temperature zones due to the burial depth and pressure.

“This type of exploration would unlock a tremendous amount of cheap and clean energy which, if harnessed, could offset a significant proportion of the University’s energy demand of over 100GWh/year, equivalent to the electricity power consumed by 25,000 homes, or Altrincham.”

This energy source, equivalent to approximately 100,000 solar panels, would deliver a similar payback in time to other renewable energy technologies.

Johnstone said: “We have calculated that the best access point to create a geothermal well would be an area no bigger than a tennis court, in a corner of Cecil Street Car Park – known in the city for serving the Contact Theatre and Manchester Academy music venue.”

The rapid survey and analysis, conducted in the second half of 2025, has resulted in the most accurate and detailed geological data to show the rock formations and faults beneath the city of Manchester.

Given the significance of the findings, the gravity survey is now proposed to be scaled up and taken airborne using the world’s most powerful subsurface gravity imager. The hope is that it will be making a major impact on the UK’s energy transition targets.

UK-based Metatek is a worldwide leader in data acquisition, processing and interpretation services for air, land and sea geophysical / geological exploration activities.

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