Cornwall is to be home to the UK’s first commercial geothermal scheme…
Cornwall Council has approved the application by Geothermal Engineering Ltd for three wells to be drilled at United Downs industrial estate, near Redruth, making it the first commercial geothermal venture in the UK.
Drilling is due to begin in early 2011. The Council has also given outline permission for a geothermal power plant at the site that will produce 10 MW of electricity to be fed into the National Grid – enough to power 20,000 homes for a year – and 55 MW of renewable heat energy, which could be used for the local community.
