RENEWABLE ENERGY


TRANSFORM HISTORIC BUILDING HEATING A landmark project will demonstrate how cutting-edge next generation deep geothermal


innovation could bring historic properties into a sustainable, net zero, future HOW GEOTHERMAL ENERGY COULD K


entwell Hall, a 16th-century Grade 1 listed stately home in Suffolk, relies on an ageing


oil boiler which not only consumes excessive quantities of fossil fuel but barely warms the 400-year-old building. Patrick Phillips, owner of Kentwell Hall,


commented: “Kentwell is one of the most beautiful houses in an unrivalled setting, but historic houses cannot remain so fixed in the past that they become uninhabitable. Heating has always been a major problem for us, with vast rooms, high ceilings, and centuries-old windows that cannot be altered.” To help solve the problem,


CeraPhi Energy has been appointed to deliver a first of its kind feasibility study into geothermal heating.


system, designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions and operating costs. The proposal will sympathetically introduce


“The proposal will


sympathetically introduce 21st century


CHALLENGES Kentwell faces the dual challenge of protecting its fragile Tudor fabric and contents while modernising for the future. CeraPhi Energy has stepped up to accept this challenge, confident that its expert team can engineer a solution that can be accommodated seamlessly into the building and is both commercially viable and environmentally transformative. To meet requirements, the company would


design a non-invasive world-first multi-well deep geothermal heating solution using its proprietary CeraPhiWell monobore borehole


www.essmag.co.uk


geothermal technology into this 16th century landmark, while maintaining its


authenticity, significance and character”


21st-century geothermal technology into this 16th-century landmark, whilst maintaining its authenticity, significance and character. CeraPhi’s innovative closed-loop deep ground source system operates at depths of up to 1500m (1.5km), is invisible at the surface and designed to minimise disruption, providing consistent, low-carbon, heat across the estate. This includes the historic hall, residential quarters, a modern café and events building, nearby ancillary properties, and even the octagonal guard towers. By optimising the system to preserve the Hall’s delicate environment at an


optimum 11˚C, CeraPhi will ensure both comfort and conservation, while enabling additional estate buildings to be brought into productive use, creating


opportunities for new income streams and long-term sustainability.


CLEAN ENERGY The project will explore the installation of multiple deep wells, delivering secure baseload heat with capacity for future expansion. A Heat-as-a-Service (HaaS) model is being considered, where CeraPhi


would build and operate the system at its own cost and sell the heat back to the estate under an energy service agreement. The system will significantly reduce Kentwell Halls operating costs, replacing its current oil fired system with baseload 100% clean energy across the estate for generations to come. “This is a unique challenge and the first project


of its kind targeting a prestigious building of this age, proving that geothermal can be harnessed anywhere to cut carbon and deliver secure, affordable heat,” commented Gary Williams, COO of CeraPhi Energy. “We will implement a system that is invisible on the surface yet transformative in performance. A cleaner, smarter and more resilient option that futureproofs Kentwell Hall while preserving its remarkable heritage.” Phillips added: “We had considered every


option over the years; geothermal was not one we had even imagined possible until we met Gary and later visited CeraPhi’s Yorkshire site.” Commenting on the benefits he added: “A deep


geothermal system could finally allow us to maintain the stable temperature this timber- framed house needs, improve comfort for staff and visitors, and greatly reduce our reliance on oil and electricity across the many ancillary buildings on the estate… We hope CeraPhi’s system delivers everything it promises with minimal disruption and that Kentwell becomes an exemplar for other historic properties seeking a practical path to net zero.”


CeraPhi Energy https://ceraphi.com/


ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Winter 2025 31


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