Scope
Description
We will explore the technical possibilities and challenges of cooling and thermal energy storage in mine workings by discharging warm water into mine workings at the BGS UKGOES site in Glasgow. Thermal storage in mine workings is part of our Business Plan 2032 vision and Mine Water Heat Framework and is vital to understand if we want to unlock mine water heat advisory services and deliver value to coalfield communities.
Thermal energy storage will be a vital technology in decarbonising heat and making net zero a reality. Underground coal mine workings could be an important thermal store for a number of sources including excess heat from data centres and for balancing heating networks.
To overcome these challenges, we want to undertake the mine heat storage experiment at the British Geological Survey (BGS) owned mine workings 'observatory' in Glasgow. This is a unique research facility designed for investigating this shallow, low-temperature, mine-water heat energy and potential heat storage resources. It is fully constructed and ready to use and it has all the permits, licences and equipment in place to test heat storage. It is the only place in the UK that has suitable infrastructure to enable us to undertake this research.
Scope of work
This project requires BGS to manage, co-design, undertake and report on a mine heat thermal storage experiment at their Geoenergy Observatory in Glasgow. The exact parameters of the experiment will be defined in collaboration with the MRA. BGS will collect, process and analyse samples, details of which will be confirmed prior to start date.
The outputs will include summary reports, produced by BGS with MRA contribution on the works undertaken and data packages including all the data collected at the Observatory during the experiment, which the Mining Remediation Authority will publish as an open access dataset. The IPR of new data will remain the property of the MRA.
Contract 1
Supplier
Contract value
- £236,184.05 excluding VAT
- £283,420.86 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Earliest date the contract will be signed
11 February 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 20 February 2026 to 31 March 2026
- Possible extension to 30 April 2026
- 2 months, 9 days
Description of possible extension:
Innovation project. Potential to extend due to operational circumstances and results of research
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
Contract locations
- UKM - Scotland
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Direct award
Direct award justification
- Prototypes and development
- Single supplier - technical reasons
In accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, the need for a specialist provider is justified where the goods or services required can only be supplied by a single supplier due to their unique capabilities-in this case, access to the BGS mine workings observatory. The requester has confirmed that the market has been reviewed. The UKGEOS observatory in Glasgow is a unique research facility and there is nowhere else in the UK that allows experiments to be undertaken in fully monitored mine workings. The technical expertise of BGS staff is also instrumental to obtaining and collecting the data during the experiment, and no one else would be able to provide the same service.
The Procurement Act 2023 consolidates the grounds for making a direct award, which may be necessary where unique opportunities exist. Specifically, a direct award can be justified for reasons such as technical specifications, exclusive rights, or other unique circumstances. In this instance, the exclusive and special nature of the working environment, forefront of innovation and data, combined with the lack of market competition, supports proceeding without a competitive tender process.
Supplier
British Geological Survey (BGS) a component of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWHV-7273-PGJY
Nicker Hill
Keyworth, Nottingham
NG12 5GG
United Kingdom
Email: businessdevelopment@bgs.ac.uk
Website: http://www.bgs.ac.uk
Region: UKF16 - South Nottinghamshire
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1
Contracting authority
Mining Remediation Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRPD-5825-QDVY
200 Lichfield Lane
Nottinghamshire
NG18 4RG
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@coal.gov.uk
Region: UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government