Go-ahead for monitoring well for underground heat storage at the Utrecht Science Park

The University of Utrecht is taking an important step towards making its energy supply more sustainable. The Executive Board has given the go-ahead for the next phase of the high-temperature thermal storage (HTS) project. During this phase, a monitoring and exploration well will be installed to further map the characteristics of the subsurface.

The HTS project is a collaboration between the Energy Department of Utrecht University, the Faculty of Geosciences, TNO and IF Technology. The researchers plan to make use of an aquifer at a depth of approximately 200 to 250 metres. During the summer, heat generated using renewable electricity can be stored there, for example electricity generated by solar panels at the Solar Farm Bunnik, which is currently under construction. In winter, when relatively little renewable energy is available, this heat can then be used to heat buildings at Utrecht Science Park.

HTS makes it possible to store a large amount of heat for an entire season in a sustainable and cost-effective way. This will enable the university to make better use of renewable electricity, which is widely available in summer, while further reducing its dependence on fossil energy. Smart use of the technology can also help reduce increasing pressure on the electricity grid. HTS functions as a large thermal battery: it can draw additional electricity at times when plenty of electricity is available and reduce electricity consumption when demand on the grid is high. The project could also provide insights into whether HTS could be a sustainable solution for other district heating networks in the Netherlands. Many new district heating networks are expected to be developed in the coming decades, for which seasonal heat storage could play an important role.

For the research phase of the project, Utrecht University has received more than €2 million in DEI+ funding. DEI+ stands for Demonstration Energy and Climate Innovation and is a national innovation subsidy provided by the Dutch government and administered by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The subsidy is funded by the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. 

The monitoring and exploration well will provide additional information about the characteristics of the subsurface at the proposed location. It will also make it possible to monitor the subsurface over a longer period. The test phase is expected to provide sufficient information by mid-2027 to make an investment decision. If the decision is positive, the project will be further designed and developed. The heat storage system is expected to be realised by around 2029.

The construction of the monitoring well is therefore an important step towards more sustainable, carbon-neutral and natural-gas-free operations at Utrecht University.

Find out more?

Read the background article ‘Geological thermal battery beneath Utrecht Science Park’ about the technology behind underground heat storage, research into the Utrecht subsurface and the potential for a more sustainable energy supply at Utrecht Science Park.