Funding of GBP 1.8m announced for research on understanding deep geothermal resources in Cornwall
Set up of drilling rig on site in Cornwall, UK (source: UDDGP)
Alexander Richter
14 Dec 2018
Research on deep subsurface heat as potential major future energy resource/ geothermal power generated from UK granites will receive GBP 1.8m in funding announced as part of a funding round by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The research is a joint research in conjunction with the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power Project in Cornwall.
In an announcement yesterday, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the UK’s leading public funder of environmental science, has announced funding of GBP24 million (around $31 million) for new research on major environmental issues, such as the impact of microplastics in our oceans, the UK potential for geothermal power and mitigating climate change. The funding comes as part of the fourth round of NERC highlight topics.
The funding has been split between 14 research projects spanning a wide range of important topics generated by the UK environmental science community. The selection of highlight topic projects is a competitive process to ensure that the most excellent science is funded.
From understanding how soil can capture carbon, to investigating the impact of light pollution on coastal creatures, these awards fund research areas essential to help us understand our environment and how we live within it.
NERC Associate Director of Research Ned Garnett said: “The highlight topics programme allows us to receive ideas from both the research community and users of environmental science to ensure that we are providing funding where it is most needed. The provision of top quality environmental research has never been more essential as we continue to tackle some of the greatest environmental challenges of our time.”
Among the 14 “highlight topics” is the topic of “Deep subsurface heat as a potential major future energy resource – Geothermal power generated from UK granites (GWatt) – Christopher Rochelle, NERC, British Geological Survey”.
According to a blog post by Christopher Rochelle, funding of GBP 1.8 million (around $2.3 million) will be provided on his project focused on “understanding the deep geothermal resources of Cornwall (project = GWatt). This study (which also involves Herriot Watt University, Camborne School of Mines, GeoScience, Geothermal Engineering Ltd, and the Cornwall and Isles Of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership) aims to reduce the uncertainty associated with geothermal exploration through a detailed appraisal of existing and newly gathered data. Key to this will be the incorporation of new data coming from the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project.”
Source: NERC/ UK, Blog BritGeoPeople
