‘Geological super regions’ set to drive annual      £40 billion investment in jobs and economic growth

The geological conditions underlying eight UK regions have been identified as ‘just right’ in terms of the country’s net zero energy ambitions. They could help unlock an estimated    £40 billion of annual investment through clean power and their potential to host multiple energy-transition technologies.

The subsurface has a vital role to play in the energy transition, acting as an enabler and helping deliver economic growth by providing: a sustainable heat source for geothermal energy; geological formations for secure storage of energy and carbon dioxide (CO₂); rocks containing important resources for mineral extraction, and suitable geological foundation conditions for onshore and offshore wind power infrastructure projects.

The benefits of a stronger renewable sector for UK residents could include improved access to secure, affordable, sustainable energy and subsurface raw materials, contributing to economic prosperity and net zero targets for the UK.

In other news

Release of over 500 Scottish abandoned-mine plans  Digital scans of over 500 historical abandoned-mine plans (non-coal) have been released by the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) as part of BGS’s commitment to providing more open, accessible data for its users.

Upgraded web portal improves access to geomagnetism data BGS’s geomagnetism portal, which holds data for over 570 observatories across the world, has received a significant update.

Eskdalemuir Geomagnetic Observatory on BBC Landward The BGS Geomagnetism team were featured on BBC Landward this month. The programme covered the history of weather forecasting at our Eskdalemuir Geomagnetic Observatory and the growing important of space weather research. The programme is now available on iPlayer and the segment starts around 5 minutes 15 seconds into the programme.

BGS on BBC Radio 4 Rare Earth show Pierre Josso, deputy director of the BGS-led UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre, was a guest on the BBC Radio 4's Rare Earth show, where he discussed how our relationship with raw materials has changed, the challenge of responsible mineral sourcing, and how we can reduce our consumption of them.

Latest video: 1859 Carrington Storm Magnetogram

The Carrington Event, which occurred nearly 200 years ago in 1859, affected telegraph systems across the world and created aurora displays as far as the equator. BGS holds the original magnetogram from the event in our collections, which shows the storm's raw geomagnetic data. BGS geophysicist Dr Ciaran Beggan explains how these delicate historical records help us understand extreme space weather and prepare for future events.