WATCH

What needs to change in order to build a new Irish city?

November 2025
Photo of Sarah Blake

"It could be possible that these [geothermal] systems ... provide secure, 24/7 always-on energy to support and complement our other great sources of renewable energy like wind and solar. So we really see geothermal energy playing a part in the mix."

Dr Sarah Blake, of GEMINI partner Geological Survey Ireland, describes the role geothermal energy can play in our future in a new series broadcast on RTÉ. Futureville Ireland investigates ways in which to plan for urban self-sufficiency in energy and food production.
Watch Futureville Ireland on RTÉ player here. 
"Every country across the world is now looking at geothermal ... and looking for international expertise to grow their market ... We really need to start thinking about what we can do to drive the market here."  Sanjeev Kumar

5th November 2025
Kevin O'Sullivan and Sanjeev Kumar seated at right-angles to each other and engaged in conversation. They are Indoors, with a pull up banner showing a partial map of the island of Ireland and the words GEMINI: Demonstration to Transformation and a screen showing the title of the evening's talk behind.
Opportunities in Geothermal Energy: What to expect for the island of Ireland

Engineers, geoscience and energy professionals were treated to a lively discussion on the geothermal energy sector's contribution to European and global decarbonisation, at Engineers Ireland, Dublin on 5th November, an event co-organised and sponsored by the GEMINI project and the Geothermal Association of Ireland. 

Sanjeev Kumar, Director of Policy at the European Geothermal Energy Council, and a keen supporter for the development of geothermal energy on the island, gave a short presentation in which he highlighted just a few of the European locations (pictured below) where geothermal energy is used for heating. He and Kevin O'Sullivan, Environment and Science Editor with the Irish Times, then discussed a range of geothermal topics including district heating and cooling, EU policy and raising the profile of geothermal energy to support its progress. There was also a question and answer session with the audience. 

In addition, the event featured the latest information from the Geothermal Association of Ireland outlined by its chair, Rory Dunphy, and a presentation on the demonstration projects, activities and planned outputs of the GEMINI project, delivered by Dr Aoife Braiden, RML.
Conversation between Kevin O'Sullivan and Sanjeev Kumar with an audience listening avidly Sanjeev Kumar is talking animatedly in front of a large screen featuring buildings in Europe: residential buildings in Enfield, UK; Belle Valle, Jodigne (Belgium); Palais d'Elysee, Paris (France); Euronet data centre, Bergamo (Italy). Kevin O'Sullivan stand side by side in front of a GEMINI banner
READ

Irish geothermal district heating systems

November 2025
Photo of Mark Geraghty

"Though our electrical system is steadily decarbonising, our heating sector has been left behind. The use of geothermal systems to feed district heating networks is a huge opportunity to decarbonise using a fully local, clean, heat source."

Mark Geraghty, of GEMINI partner TU Dublin, has written about the history of geothermal energy and how using heat from the Earth to warm and cool buildings could deliver low carbon heat and help to relieve pressure on our electrical grid.
Read Mark's piece on the RTÉ website here.

GEMINI at the European Geothermal Congress, Zurich

October 2025
Text: Shaping the Future. European Geothermal Congress, 6-10 October 2025 against background of river through city in late evening, with the glow of lights from riverside buildings reflected in still water

GEMINI gets its first outing on an international stage at the European Geothermal Congress in Zurich. We're keen to get the word out about our plans for geothermal energy momentum in this part of the world. And, of course, it's the perfect opportunity to hear from and meet so many knowledgeable people in person! 

There will be presentations from GEMINI partner RML:

Dr Aoife Braiden will give a talk: "GEMINI: An example of cross-border geothermal energy education and training on the island of Ireland" (Thursday at 11:00; Session 6D Non Technical: Policy strategies)

Nicola Noller will present a poster: "Developing communications and engagement strategies for complex, cross-border geothermal energy projects" (Wednesday at 13:45)

Other GEMINI partners - including Geological Survey Ireland, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI), Queen's University Belfast and University College Dublin - will also be attending.

Gravity surveys in County Antrim complete

September 2025
Two female researchers wearing hi vis vests sitting in a car holding large courgettes Cows in a field gaze through a metal gate at a gravity surveying instrument Map of a portion of County Antrim with overlaid dots in green and red representing gravity survey sites A male researcher crouches alongside a gravity survey instrument positioned on a putting green, with a fairway and sandpit beyond

Staff from  the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) have finished their gravity survey across about 375 square kilometres of County Antrim. Four months since the scientists began their survey, often under the gaze of inquisitive cows, sheep and other farm animals, they’ve measured over 600 points come wind, rain and sunshine. 

Huge thanks to the many understanding farmers and landowners who gave their permission to access their land. We couldn’t have done such a good job without your support! 

Work now begins on processing the gathered gravity data. This will then be combined with data from other geophysical surveys to build a 3D picture of the subsurface, and bring us a step closer to evaluating the area’s potential for using geothermal energy as a heating resource.

IMAGES

Anna and Rebecca carried out a gravity measurement on an allotment site, where they were warmly offered courgettes and seeds to take home.

Curious cows investigate the gravimeter set-up.

Paul taking a gravity measurement at the 4th pin on a golf course

The acquisition map showing the gravity survey area, surveyed sites and repeated sites.

Magnetotelluric surveys in County Antrim

June 2025

Three people energetically digging into the turf in a field
Scientists from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) and a field crew from 3D Consulting-geo GmbH are carrying out magnetotelluric surveys in fields (with permission) around Ballymena, Randalstown, Antrim and Ballyclare. The surveys are expected to run until 18th August.

An MT survey involves the laying out four 50-metre-long, plastic-coated wires on the ground and burying four small sensors (electrodes) in shallow holes. The equipment is left in place for about 48 hours (two nights) where it passively collects data. Duygu's blog describes how researchers collect and use data from this type of survey to image the subsurface.

MT stations will be deployed at 120 locations in County Antrim. Several sites will be deployed at the same time. 

Gravity surveys in County Antrim

May 2025

A male researcher holds a vertical pole above a disc on the ground and reads from the gravimeter instrument attached to the top
Members of the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) are carrying out a survey to take measurements of gravity in and around Ballymena, Randalstown, Antrim and Ballyclare. The survey begins on 19th May 2025 and is expected to finish in September 2025. You may see a team of two or three researchers taking measurements (see photo). They will be surveying along road verges, tracks and footpaths, and occasionally in fields (with permission).

Find out more about gravity surveys in Michael MacKenzie's blog.

If you see our colleagues in the area over the next few months, feel free to ask questions about their work and the GEMINI project.

Geophysical surveying, County Antrim

March 2025

Green, empty fields divided by hedgerows and trees in a winter landscape
Scientists from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) and Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) have begun a geophysical survey within County Antrim, Northern Ireland for the GEMINI project. They are currently installing around 30 seismometers (which detect distant earthquakes) throughout the areas of Ballymena, Randalstown, Antrim and Ballyclare. If you meet our colleagues as they are installing the seismic equipment (with landowners’ permission), please feel free to ask them questions about the project.
Update 25 April 2025:  Just two more seismic stations to be installed! Read Duygu and Giuseppe's blog to find out what this survey can tell us about the subsurface.

The GEMINI project is formally launched!

The GEMINI team and SEUPB have launched the GEMINI project, hosted by TU Dublin at the Grangegorman campus.

The Special EU Programme Body and representatives from the Government of Ireland and Northern Ireland Executive officially launched the GEMINI project on 7th November 2024. 

Pic: Oonagh Buckley, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ireland, Ryan White, Director Heat, Buildings, Climate Change, Department for the Economy NI and Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer of the Special EU Programmes Body.
(Photo: Harrison Photography & Media)
Three people pose in front of a tall banner featuring the GEMINI logo, the phrase 'Demonstration to Transformation' and a map of the northern half of the island of Ireland


Welcoming the launch of the GEMINI project, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, T.D., said:

I am pleased to announce my Department’s commitment to supporting the GEMINI geothermal energy project. This project will help bring us closer to our 2030 and 2050 emission targets by supporting the Geothermal Energy and District Heating policies led by my Department to decarbonize the heating and cooling sector, which is a critical element of the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan.

Importantly the GEMINI project will do more than just deliver infrastructure in the short term. It will also build essential capacity in our planning, education, research and energy design systems, along with best practice for community engagement. This will deliver long term solutions and sustainable impact beyond the four-year project. Along with my colleagues in Northern Ireland, I look forward to seeing the outputs of this ambitious and timely collaborative project.”

Economy Minister Conor Murphy said:

Decarbonisation is a cornerstone of my economic plan. As an alternative to fossil fuels, geothermal energy has a pivotal role to play in decarbonising heat. The Gemini project will demonstrate and promote the benefits of geothermal across the island.

Important partnership work has made this project possible, and I commend the partners involved for their ongoing collaboration with the public sector in the north. The public sector is our largest energy consumer, and I welcome GEMINI’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by unlocking our island’s deep geothermal potential and supporting our move away from imported fossil fuels”.

The GEMINI project will support the development of the geothermal sector and accelerate the uptake of geothermal energy through four real-world pilot installations, 3 shallow (<500m) in Sligo and Belfast, and one deep (approx. 2km) in Grangegorman, Dublin. Additional data will also be collected for potential future sites, thereby ensuring that the GEMINI work will have wider impacts for the island by increasing and improving our knowledge of the sub-surface and our island’s potential geothermal resources. This information will also help to inform new policies, guidelines and supports for the sector through geological heat potential maps, cross-border policy recommendations, toolkits for decision makers (homeowners, planners, developers and local government), community engagement guidelines, and business and skills development activities.


SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre:

Promoting renewable, sustainable, and greener energy is a really important way to create a better future for everyone right across this island.

“Geothermal is one of the most exciting opportunities that exists for utilising our natural resources safely and responsibly to enhance energy production. This is an industry in which organisations in Northern Ireland and Ireland can make a significant impact and we are proud to support this important sector through PEACEPLUS.”


7th November 2024