Geothermal Engineering

Last Thursday the Department for Energy and Climate Change announced the creation of the Deep Geothermal Challenge Fund – meaning that the government has allotted £6 million towards deep geothermal development in the UK.

Last Thursday the Department for Energy and Climate Change announced the creation of the Deep Geothermal Challenge Fund – meaning that the government has allotted £6 million towards deep geothermal development in the UK.

Naturally, we’re delighted that DECC have started to recognise the potential of deep geothermal. The US, Australia and Germany are already pouring millions into the geothermal industry to help kick-start commercial production.  The UK has a good deep geothermal resource but we have a long way to go before we realise its full potential.

The announcement from DECC is a step in the right direction and, for us, certainly a very welcome one.  Geothermal energy is a renewable, green and economical power source and I’m absolutely convinced that this a resource we must develop if we’re to meet the energy needs of the future.

The UK’s Energy and climate change minister, Lord Hunt, has said that “deep geothermal power from the South West of England alone could meet 2% of the UK's annual electricity demand, potentially creating thousands of jobs in the building and running of new power plants”.

Let’s hope that, with further government support and local backing, this century could see the birth of a whole new British industry.