ukgeothermalplatform.org

What it is

UK Geothermal Platform (UKGTP) is a free geothermal energy information hub funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and delivered and maintained by the British Geological Survey (BGS). It is not a general-purpose enterprise SaaS product, but a public data and Web GIS platform for assessing geothermal resources in the UK. It is designed for viewing summaries of geothermal potential, accessing geoscience data, and supporting early-stage decision-making.

Core features and data

The platform centers on Map explorer and Data access. The map explorer provides four categories of summary layers: shallow closed-loop ground source heat pumps, shallow open-loop ground source heat pumps, deep thermal sedimentary aquifers, and deep granite engineered geothermal systems. These include information such as heat output, temperature, and costs. The first release integrates more than 90 layers covering geothermal models, hydrogeology, boreholes, wells, and seismic data. The data access page is based on the Geonetwork catalogue, allowing users to search, browse, and download selected datasets, with licenses and usage conditions clearly indicated.

Pricing, licensing, and deployment

The platform itself is free to access. However, not all visible data can be downloaded: some layers are view-only, some redirect to external organization websites, and some are unavailable due to sensitivity, legacy data restrictions, or commercial licensing. For certain BGS read-only layers, access to the underlying data may typically require a £165+VAT license administration fee. Commercial resale or the development of value-added services requires an additional data resale license. Deployment is via an online website and Web GIS; the source text does not mention private deployment, APIs, or developer tools.

Pros and cons

Its strengths are authoritative data sources and the integration of government and public-sector resources, making it suitable for regional screening, policy research, and collecting materials for pre-feasibility studies. User guides and case studies also lower the barrier for non-specialists. Its limitations are that the summary layers are explicitly not intended for detailed project planning, data licensing is relatively complex, and download permissions are inconsistent. It also lacks typical SaaS capabilities such as team collaboration, permission management, enterprise support, and APIs.

Who it is for and access from China

It is suitable for UK local authorities, policymakers, regulators, geothermal developers, and academic researchers, especially for heat network planning and preliminary screening of geothermal potential. For users in China, the platform mainly covers the UK, so it is more useful for overseas research or as a methodological reference. The source text does not specify access conditions from China, and payment methods are not disclosed. For local projects in China, domestic platforms for natural resources, geological survey data, energy planning, or commercial GIS geoscience data should be prioritized as alternatives.