Decarbonising heating and cooling: Barriers and opportunities facing aquifer thermal energy storage in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is a shallow geothermal technology which can contribute to heating and cooling decarbonisation. The low global deployment of ATES does not match its technical potential. Understanding relevant societal challenges and opportunities is crucial for scaling up ATES deployment. Here, we draw upon a Responsible Innovation (RI) framework to assess the social desirability, opportunities, and limitations applying to wider adoption of ATES in the United Kingdom. We focus on the RI dimensions of anticipation, reflection, inclusion, and responsiveness, and extend the framework to incorporate ethics and frugality. We use information from 14 semi-structured interviews conducted with a representative set of stakeholders associated with ATES, focusing on the Greater Manchester Metropolitan area, a region with significant potential for ATES development. Our results highlight the multifaceted benefits of ATES deployment for the local economy, environment, and energy efficiency, alongside the associated risks. We identify barriers to deploying ATES including a lack of sector-specific regulations, licensing and infrastructure complexities, and uncertainties. To facilitate wider ATES uptake, we suggest focusing on improving market awareness, promoting industry-specific education and knowledge sharing, enabling stakeholder engagement through government initiatives, leveraging stakeholders' collective expertise, as well as developing tailored legislative and regulatory measures to uphold national ATES standards. Central to our findings is the emphasis on value-inclusive design of ATES systems, aligning with social desirability and local priorities such as affordability, safety, reliability, inclusivity, responsiveness, and sustainability.