In the UK, there is a resource of geothermal energy at shallow depths which can be exploited with ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). GSHPs use pipes which are buried to extract heat from the ground. The upper 10–15 m of the ground is heated by solar radiation and acts a heat store.
There are some geothermal projects planned in the UK, for the generation of heat, electricity, or both. There is also a commercial plant in Southampton which in 1986, began delivering heat from a borehole to a district heating network, and is now operated by the energy firm ENGIE.
