The UK Geothermal Could Generate as Much Electricity as 9 Nuclear Power Stations

A new independent report published by Sinclair Knight Merz claims deep geothermal resources could produce 20% of UK’s electricity and the heat for millions of homes.  

Although, deep geothermal power is new technology in the UK, the sector has been growing internationally. In Germany, the deep geothermal industry employs 6,000 people and has attracted €4 billion of investment. In Slovakia AquaCity has its core energy based on geothermal.

The new report shows that the recourse is widely spread around the UK and has the potential to provide 9.5GW of renewable electricity which is an equivalent to nearly nine nuclear power stations, the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said.

It has been forecast that in the UK, former mining regions like Cornwall, Yorkshire and the North East of England, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, could support valuable commercial projects*.

Ryan Law, Chair of the REA Deep Geothermal Group, emphasised the importance of geothermal investment for the UK industry and outlined significant benefits and commercial rewards for the geothermal sector.

Mr Law said: “We don’t want to be left out of a global industry which is estimated to be worth £30 billion by 2020. We could be at the forefront of this industry given the strength of British engineering skills. If the UK wants to seize a share of this booming global market we must prove our competence at home. Clearly investment at home could also go a long way to meeting our future energy needs cleanly and safely.”

*The resource set out in the report has been summarised as:

Cornwall and the South West

HEAT: 13,000 MWth – 6.5 million homes annual heat demand

POWER: 4,000 MWe (equivalent to 3.3 nuclear power plants)

 The North East

HEAT: 9,000 MWth – 4.5 million homes annual heat demand

POWER: 4,000 MWe (equivalent to 3.3 nuclear power plants)

 The Lake District

HEAT: 8,000 MWth 4 million homes

POWER: 2,300 MWe (equivalent to 1.9 nuclear power plants)

 Wessex Basin

HEAT: 33,000 MWth 16.5 million homes

 Cheshire Basin

HEAT: 14,000 MWth 7 million homes

 East of England

HEAT: 12,000 MWth 6 million homes

 Worcester Basin

HEAT:  6,700 MWth 3.35 million homes

 Larne Basin

HEAT: 1,000 MWth 500,000 homes