Geothermal energy is popular in Iceland and also in California, but in recent years it has been realised that geothermal energy can be economically tapped in places that are not as geologically active as these parts.
Geothermal energy could be a ‘sleeping energy giant’. It is under-researched but there is some evidence that at the least it could provide a lot of heating needs across the UK. As Ned Williams said: ‘there’s evidence that geothermal has the potential to be able to supply a fairly significant portion of the UK’s energy and heating needs, and increased use and research would surely decrease the cost’. He spoke as part of a review of Southampton Councils’ innovative geothermal energy project., see https://www.wessexscene.co.uk/magazine/2017/11/30/southamptons-geothermal-pursuit-a-success-or-failure/
Support for feasibility studies needs to be given for schemes and local people need to activise for geothermal energy possibilities to be studied.
Eavor- the latest geothermal technology
A recently launched new geothermal technology is currently being researched and demonstrated by the company ‘Eavor’. According to their website: ‘Eavor’s solution represents the world’s truly scalable form of clean, baseload and dispatchable power’……’As a completely closed loop system, Eavor has the advantages of no fracking, no GHG emissions, no earthquake risk, no water use, no produced brine or solids, and no aquifer contamination….’ More details from the website at https://www.eavor.com/
General information:
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/energy/geothermal/home.html
Useful blog post on geothermal energy
https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/is-the-uk-harnessing-its-geothermal-energy-resources
Geothermal electricity?
See a video about geo-drilling in Cornwall to prepare for the first UK geothermal power plant, due to come into operation soon! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz7RwGw0dSA
See more news from the company who is doing geothermal power in Cornwall here
See some recent news about how E.ON are developing a major geothermal project at Malmo in Sweden https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/e-on-to-build-deep-geothermal-power-plants-to-heat-swedish-homes/2-1-766128
From Iceland?
There have been serious commercial proposals to export geothermal energy from Iceland to supply a large proportion of UK electricity requirements. This could be done through an electricity interconnector.
See https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/may/30/geothermal-energy-uk-power and https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/may/19/british-energy-iceland-volcano-geothermal-power