United Kingdom: United Downs Geothermal Power Project - “It’s a make or break moment for geothermal power in the UK,”

Cornish geothermal drilling operation aims to prove UK potential (Financial Times)

Experts believe 5% of UK electricity supply could come from the clean energy source

Ryan Law, managing director of
Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL)

“It’s a make or break moment for geothermal power in the UK,” Ryan Law, managing director of Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL), told the Financial Times of the project named after the United Downs industrial estate it is in. “If this one doesn’t produce I don’t think we’ll see any others for some time.”

“It is a demonstration plant of a concept. And if that concept works we know we’ve got similar geology in many, many other sites across Devon and Cornwall,” said Mr Law. If it works he wants to create more joint direct heat and power generating plants in the region.

“To me the big thing about geothermal was always that you have . . . an absolutely low carbon energy source, that enables you to not be dependent on tides, to not be dependent on wind, not to be dependent on day or night in terms of solar,” said Lord Teverson, who chairs the Lords EU energy and environment select committee.

“The big problem, the Achilles heel, is that geothermal itself really can’t afford its exploration risk,” said Tony Bachelor of consultancy GeoScience, which is financially backing GEL.

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