Author: Peter Ledingham (Managing Director and Geothermal Engineer)
Cornwall Council has agreed to invest £1.5million to support the development of deep geothermal energy in Cornwall. As well as providing direct support, the money will also unlock a £10 million grant from the European Union which will enable the drilling and evaluation of a 5km deep well to properly assess the geothermal resource in the county.
The deep geothermal resource in Cornwall, if successfully exploited, has the potential to provide significant economic, environmental and social benefits. Knowledge of the resource dates back more than 40 years to the Camborne School of Mines 'Hot Dry Rocks' project at Rosemanowes Quarry, which was founded and managed by Tony Batchelor, the Chairman of GeoScience Limited.
The successful completion of a deep well will demonstrate the viability of Engineered Geothermal Systems as a source of both electricity and heat and will encourage private investors to participate in the technology.
GeoScience is partner with Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) in the proposed development at United Downs in west Cornwall. GEL is preparing an application for the European and Cornish funding, which is due for submission in June. If successful, drilling will commence at the United Downs site in mid-2017.