CeraPhi Energy has been appointed to deliver a first of its kind feasibility study for Kentwell Hall, a 16th-century stately home in Suffolk. With the preservation of this Grade 1 listed building at the heart of the project, CeraPhi would design a non-invasive world-first multi-well deep geothermal heating solution using its proprietary CeraPhiWell monobore borehole system, designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions and operating costs.
Currently reliant on an aging oil boiler that consumes excessive quantities of fossil fuel yet barely warms the 400-year-old hall. 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.
The proposal will sympathetically introduce the 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 1500 meters (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.
The project is set to 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.
Gary Williams, COO of CeraPhi Energy, said:
"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. 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."
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. 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.
For us, sustainability is not a fashion it is a duty. Our age should consume fossil fuels fairly and leave most for future generations, just as we must avoid polluting the land, water and oceans we share with wildlife. 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.
"Historic houses have always embraced modernisation when necessary, from coal in 1800 to plumbing, acetylene lighting and high-pressure hot water in the 1900s. If geothermal can work for us, others may follow. 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."
This landmark project demonstrates how cutting-edge next generation deep geothermal innovation can bring historic properties into a sustainable, net zero future, with minimal disruption above ground, and maximum impact below.
About CeraPhi® CeraPhi Energy is a leading renewable energy company focused on advancing sustainable solutions for the energy sector. With a commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility, we strive to create safer, greener energy solutions for the communities we serve.
For media inquiries and further information, please contact;
Holly Harvey-Perdicouholly.harvey-perdicou@ceraphi.com - 07799152182
