BRITAIN’S FIRST GEOTHERMAL PLANT TO GENERATE POWER FROM CORNISH GRANITE
01 June 2009
Plans to build a geothermal plant using heat from granite outcrops beneath the Earth’s surface were unveiled on 1st June. It is estimated that the plant, to be ready by 2012, could generate enough electricity to supply 5,000 homes.
Initially the plant would supply the Eden Project in Cornwall, but spare carbon-neutral electricity could be fed into the National Grid. Eden and its commercial partner EGS Energy say that this could be the first in a series of projects that could result in Cornwall supplying up to one-tenth of the UK’s electricity needs.
Cornwall is considered an ideal location because its granite outcrops are close to the surface around 2.5 miles down. A huge amount of (literally) groundbreaking research was done at Cornwall’s Camborne School of Mines (CSM) geothermal energy ("Hot Rocks") project in the 1980’s and early 90’s. Although the potential for a plant was clear, there were still significant engineering difficulties and none was built.If planning permission is granted the plant at Eden will consist of 2 boreholes, each between 3km and 4km deep, built within a disused clay quarry. Water is pumped into an injection hole and then allowed to percolate through the rocks to heat up. The water then returns through a second hole, reaching the surface at approx. 150C. The heated water is converted into electricity via a heat exchanger. The remaining heat in the water could be used to heat buildings at Eden and in the surrounding area. Spare heat would also be used to grow exotic fruit and vegetables.
CHINA MAKES HUGE INVESTMENT IN SOLAR POWER
01 June 2009
China’s national energy bureau has finalised a proposal for billions of pounds of incentives for solar farms and roof top panels.
Renewable energy production has increased rapidly under a government plan to use clean sources for 15% of the country’s energy by 2020. Wind power has doubled each year since 2004, and in solar water heaters China leads the world.
Although China is likely to remain dependent on coal for decades, solar will be the key to long-term energy security, because of its huge desert areas. China has been the world’s leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) panels, which turn sunlight into electricity, but 95% of these have been exported in the past. Now, with the government’s financial support this will change, and planned, huge, desert solar plants aim to make China a leading global harvester of the world’s most abundant energy source.ALEX SALMOND, FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND ANNOUNCES FURTHER EXPANSION OF WHITELEE
24 May 2009
Salmond has announced that the biggest wind farm so far built in Europe, at Whitelee, south of Glasgow would expand again. The 322MW scheme., already meeting Glasgow’s electricity needs, will increase to 452MW.
GIANT WIND FARM PROPOSAL FOR SHETLANDS CAUSES CONTROVERSY
21 May 2009
Scottish ministers have received a detailed planning application for the Viking wind farm project, which would involve 150 turbines over 12,800 hectares, dominating the landscape of Shetland’s main island.
Supporters say that at present diesel is shipped in to power Shetland’s largest power station, although the islands have the strongest and most consistent winds in Europe. The wind farm would be Europe’s largest and could generate a fifth of Scotland’s electricity needs.
Proof of Shetland’s potential is “Betsy”, believed to be the world’s most efficient wind turbine. The 660 kilowatt machine is one of five on Shetland’s only wind farm.
Opposers of the scheme say that the 145 metre-high turbines, quarries, substations, and access roads would dominate the hills and moors and devastate the peat bog. They are not against wind farms, but the scale was too large and damaging for the island.
