The Cornish Geothermal Generator

The Good News -

Geothermal Engineering Ltd. began construction at the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power (UDDGP) project in Cornwall earlier this year. Steam was first produced from the production well in 2021. The goal is to harness power and heat from the hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall, located at the United Downs industrial site near Redruth. 

Fluid from the production well will be used to drive a turbine of a pilot 1MWe power plant that will be built at the site as part of the project. This aims to demonstrate that the geothermal resource in Cornwall can be exploited to generate renewable electricity and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

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Project Background - 

The project features two deep, directional wells: the production well reaching a depth of 5275 meters (the deepest in the UK) and the injection well at 2393 meters. The project includes not only the power plant but also a lithium extraction plant—both are expected to be operational by this summer, with power generation anticipated by the end of 2024.

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Quotes Relating to the Project -

“The well at United Downs is very deep at 5.2 kilometers (It is the deepest well ever drilled on land in the UK). The low carbon heat supply for the housing estate will come from deep geothermal energy. The plant that we are building at United Downs will extract fluids at about 180 degrees Celsius as a primary source. There will be plenty of extra energy post-power production to use for a heat network. When you look at the numbers – and it always comes down to the numbers – in this case, deep geothermal is by far the lowest carbon source, has the lowest costs of delivery of heat, and offers a security of heat as a tariff over a long period of time.” - Dr. Ryan Law, Founder and CEO of Geothermal Engineering Ltd.

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For further information on this article, please visit: 

https://geothermalengineering.co.uk/

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