Geothermal energy

Geothermal could account for a significant amount of UK energy if government support is increased

Deep geothermal resources in the UK have the potential to provide around 83TWh of electrical energy annually, which is around 20% of the nation's annual electricity consumption, and 875TWh of heat energy each year, which is more than sufficient to supply the total current space heating and water heating requirements in the country. The energy used for heating in the UK each year amounts to around half of its total energy consumption.

The energy demand for space heating in the UK is approximately 400TWh each year, and the annual water heating demand is around 105TWh. The new report, Geothermal potential in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (May 29, 2012), is the first thorough study of the potential for geothermal energy in the UK since the 1980s. Deep geothermal hotspots are well distributed around the UK in Cornwall, Weardale, the Lake District, East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cheshire, Dorset, Worcester, Hampshire, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.