UK offers grants worth £6m for deep geothermal exploration projects
October 2009
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change announced the availability of £6m to fund deep geothermal energy exploration projects.
Deep geothermal is a form of renewable energy that utilises natural heat from underground sources to produce electricity. According to the department, there will be £4m available this year and £2m next financial year, with projects in England, Wales and Scotland all eligible for funding.
The Southampton District Energy Scheme is at present the UK’s only geothermal energy station. The station, which has operated for over 20 years, uses hot water pumped from 1,800m below ground as part of the city’s district heating network, saving an estimated 11,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Lord Hunt, UK Minister for energy and Climate Change, said, ‘Deep geothermal energy is an exciting and innovative technology that could provide clean, low carbon and renewable power and heat for the UK. We want to make sure that this energy resource can play a part in the future low carbon energy mix.
Michelle Williams from Artemis Solutions Group who specialise in the energy sector comments “Deep geothermal power from the South West of England alone could meet 2 per cent of the UK’s annual electricity demand. This has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the building and running of new power plants.’
