GEL starts construction on UK’s first deep geothermal power plant
The construction site of the United Downs geothermal power project in Cornwall, UK (source: Ryan Law via LinkedIn)
Carlo Cariaga
25 Jan 2024
Construction has officially started on the United Downs geothermal power plant and lithium extraction facility of GEL in Cornwall, UK.
Construction has officially started on the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power (UDDGP) project of Geothermal Engineering Ltd. (GEL) in Cornwall, UK.. The work on the power plant and lithium extraction plant is expected to be completed by the summer and power generation is planned by the end of 2024.
“It’s a very, very exciting day, today – we are starting the construction of the UK’s first geothermal power plant,” said Ryan Law, CEO of Geothermal Engineering Ltd.
Two deep, directional wells have been drilled for the project – the production well to a depth of 5275m (deepest in the UK) and the injection well to 2393m. Steam was first produced from the production well in 2021. The aim of the project is to produce power and heat from the hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall at the United Downs Industrial Site near Redruth.
Moreover, GEL had previously announced plans to extract lithium from the United Downs site. Third-party tests done in 2021 have indicated exceptionally high lithium content in the geothermal fluids in United Downs at concentrations of more than 250 mg/L. GEL’s target to produce 100 tonnes per annum of Lithium Carbon Equivalent (LCE) by late 2024 will be ramped up to at least 1,000 tonnes per annum by 2026.
In 2023, GEL became the first geothermal developer in the UK to be awarded Contracts for Difference (CfD). The United Downs, Manhay, and Penhallow projects of GEL were able to secure 15-year deals. A CfD provides revenue stabilization, protecting both renewable power generators and buyers of electricity from market price fluctuations and ensuring a predictable revenue stream.
To learn more about GEL and their geothermal projects, check out this interview with GEL CEO Ryan Law.
Editor’s note: The Southampton District Energy Scheme, which pre-dates the United Downs project by several decades, taps into a geothermal aquifer to provide heating, cooling, and power to Southampton City. However, the energy scheme is a combination of geothermal, natural gas, and fuel oil. Thus, the United Downs project can be rightfully described as the first pure geothermal power project in the UK.
Source: Cornwall Live and Ryan Law via LinkedIn
