Well that was a hoot. Not the sort of thing I usually get up to on a Thursday evening, but very worthwhile, and super interesting so hear all about our sun, other stars, and think about our human relationships with these through space and time. Sometimes it is a privilege being an academic.

Quantum Sauce@quantum-sauce.bsky.social · 3w ago

☀️A sunsenational night of solar science! Quantum Sauce meets @wxwakefield.bsky.social beneath #Helios, for chats about: - our sun’s life story🌌 - solstice religions🛘 - geothermal energy futures♨️ Massive thanks to Dr Felix Sainsbury-Martinez, @undertheground.bsky.social & @jimleary.bsky.social! 👏

A bit short notice - but I am going to be in Wakefield tonight. If you are looking to fill a hole in your life left by the football, come along and be cheered up by an evening of sunshine.

Quantum Sauce@quantum-sauce.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🌞 Sunsentional news, we’re going to #Wakefield! We’re teaming up with @wxwakefield.bsky.social for @lukejerram.bsky.social’s #Helios installation! More solar science than you ever knew you needed! ☀️ Check out the details at wxwakefield.co.uk/Whats-On/Det... 🧠 Bring your brain & pull up a pint! 🍻

If you are above old mine workings, why not turn them from a geohazard into a geo-heat source? www.theguardian.com/environment/...

From coal to cabernet: the wine seller using a flooded mine to cut heating bills

Lanchester Wines in north-east England uses heat from a disused coalmine to maintain wine temperatures and with 23,000 flooded mines in the UK, there’s huge potential for more businesses and homes to ...

theguardian.com

Super excited to see our work on energy tunnels out in the wild. Northen Powerhouse Rail could be an ideal place to implement this, and we show the numbers can add up.

Priestley Centre for Climate Futures@priestleycentre.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🚂 From low‑carbon travel to low‑carbon heating... could rail tunnels do both? New research from the University of Leeds shows that underground rail tunnels could double as a low‑carbon heat source for nearby homes and businesses. climate.leeds.ac.uk/news/new-rai...

What is geothermal energy? Pleased to have helped the Institution of Civil Engineers produce this explainer for their membership and anyone else who is interested. www.ice.org.uk/news-views-i...

What Is Geothermal Energy And How Does It Work?

University of Leeds professors explore the uses, advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy.

ice.org.uk

Wow, most amazing long weekend on Arran, with gorgeous weather and not as hot as elsewhere. Four days, 35 miles underfoot, over 4.5km of ascent/descent and 1500m of super easy grade rock climbing. Back to work for a rest tomorrow.

Hottest day of the year so far and this morning we have seen 4 snow ploughs driving on the A66. Do they know something we don't?

Fascinating afternoon/evening out in the field, downloading the first results of our water tracing experiment. Underground water flow really does sometimes do crazy things. Some Qs answered, more posed. So reset, and more dye set running to find out!

When Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social shared his article about why universities were in trouble and why they need investment, a Labour MP jumped in to say they weren’t a priority for her. She may be surprised at how many people are employed in universities and how important they are to the economy.

Today we are publishing a new policy brief on Affordable, secure and clean energy: The case for geothermal. www.leeds.ac.uk/policy-leeds.... Shallow geothermal is an untapped energy resource under many UK urban areas. It can contribute to lowering energy bills and increasing energy security. (1/3)

Affordable, secure and clean energy: The case for geothermal

The UK’s Clean Power mission aims to deliver lower bills and greater energy security alongside decarbonisation. Utilising shallow geothermal aquifers beneath UK towns and cities can reduce peak electr...

leeds.ac.uk

Great to get underground over the long weekend with some fab people. Thanks to @cancerphysicist.bsky.social for the pic! Good to see you again!

Finally a glorious weather weekend. And a long overdue hands on mountain rock excursion yesterday

📌 ICYMI — From Coal Tip to Clean Energy: The UK Projects Turning Former Mines Into Renewable Powerhouses Solar farms, wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps are breathing new life into former collieries. So why don't we hear more about them?

From Coal Tip to Clean Energy: The UK Projects Turning Former Mines Into Renewable Powerhouses

Solar farms, wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps are breathing new life into former collieries. So why don't we hear more about them?

bylinetimes.com

I'd been wanting a good analysis on what the alternatives are to gas setting price of electricity. As usual @carbonbrief.org has the answer www.carbonbrief.org/qa-why-does-...

Q&A: Why does gas set the price of electricity – and is there an alternative? - Carbon Brief

A surge in gas prices triggered by the Iran war has caused a knock-on spike...

carbonbrief.org

The subsurface for energy storage is still the biggest battery available and we need to be thinking in that way.

Andrew Jones@arj2024.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The UK has exploited its shallow North Sea for many windfarms but failed to pair them with grid-scale electricity storage - a mistake with hindsight. Developing, commercialising and deploying electricity storage tech is essential to displace gas as the UK's store of energy having phased out coal.

The Lone Tree, Llyn Padarn near Llanberis in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, photo by Louise France, 'Wandering Welsh Girl'.

Its @constructionarium.bsky.social time again! Every year we come with our third year students to build cut down versions of classic structures. This year: Canary Wharf and North Greenwich stations, Millau Viaduct & Kingsgate bridge. Great progress on all projects today, and no rain!

Never mind their own contents list - most important is that there is geothermal energy on @quietriotpod.bsky.social

Quiet Riot@quietriotpod.bsky.social · 5mo ago

NEW EPISODE 📣 Join @sturdyalex.bsky.social & @pimlicat.bsky.social as they discuss: 🤡 How Reform are performing in the councils they run 🌍 Climate change with @snellarthur.bsky.social and his brilliant new book, Elemental 🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/q... 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/3aHy...

Oh look at that… with impeccable timing, @evanhd.bsky.social appears to be back talking about heat pumps on the BBC! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - Evan Davis's Heat Pump Challenge, Heat pumps in the home

Evan Davis explores how heat pumps work and why government wants us to install them.

bbc.co.uk

Applications open for a 3-year Post Doc position in Leeds (UK) on the #UKRI funded Still Waters project. We are looking for #hydrology #geomorphology modelling skills to embed surface hydrology into #malaria models with fieldwork in Zambia. Pls contact me for more details: tinyurl.com/3356rt44

Good work going on with the Mining Remediation Authority around getting heat from old mines and into our buildings. Featuring our fibre optic cable interrogating equipment being put to good use. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Gateshead pioneers research into mine water heat technology

Gateshead's Living Laboratory is providing

bbc.co.uk

Even if we ultimately went underground, it was so good to see the sunshine yesterday.

Great to see this Aberdeen geothermal exploration make the news. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Underground sensors assess Aberdeen's geothermal energy potential

The data will be used to build a 3D map of granite lying deep beneath the city.

bbc.co.uk

Will it ever stop raining? At least our maze cave mapping project is an all weather activity. Here is some of the new 140m of cave explored and documented last weekend. What will this weekend hold i wonder?

The world, which sometimes seams a terrible place these days, is feeling a much better place with @norcrosscricket.bsky.social and Alex Hartley on my radio again.

www.dawn.com/news/1970764...

That’s not cricket: How ‘creeping Hindutva’ stumped sportsmanship ahead of the T20 World Cup

The reality of the sport is that the flap of a butterfly’s wings in local Indian politics can cause a typhoon in another country’s cricketing fortunes.

dawn.com

There are a lot of horrible things happening in the world. I can't offer answers, or even cat pics. But I have been having a go at taking some cave pics while away at new year. First time for a while. Hopefully you will like them.

What are the key things in the Warm Homes Plan? The headline is a big emphasis on electric technologies (sold, batteries, heat pumps), with less focus on insulation. That will reduce bills - we think getting the full solar-battery-heat pump combo saves £1,000 on a typical yearly energy bill…

I have been on a literally and social media holiday. While away I appeared on the One Show (segment recorded before Christmas) talking about heat pumps. Its great that such a mainstream show is covering this important topic. Should be available on iPlayer for another couple of weeks. #PumpItUp

Geosolutions Leeds@geosolutions.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Prof Fleur Loveridge, @undertheground.bsky.social, appeared on The One Show on the BBC to discuss the installation costs of switching to heat pumps. 👀 tinyurl.com/5epavkc8 #CleanEnergy #BBC #Geothermal #HeatPumps #EnergySecurityForAll #NetZeroUK #AffordableCleanPower

Listening to a discussion about AI in university education with Amol Rajan & Prof Duncan Iveston on Radio 4 Today. Too short to get into the nuance of course, but an observation that copilot can do a literate review for you very quickly perfectly illustrates one of my main concerns with AI…1/1