United Downs will soon deliver UK’s first geothermal electricity as generation turbine is installed

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05 Aug 2024

Landmark project in Cornwall on track to start generating renewable electricity in early 2025.

Article written by alex.lomax

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The turbine that converts geothermal steam into electricity has been successfully installed at the UK’s first geothermal power plant.

It is powered by fluid heated by geothermal brine several miles below the Earth’s surface. This rotates the turbine which is connected to a generator that converts kinetic energy into electricity.

“Having provided the first commercial funding for the project in 2020 and further investment in 2023, it’s exciting to now see the infrastructure being built above ground. These are the components that will enable the clean power, sourced purely from Earth’s natural resources, to be connected to the local grid for domestic use. The turbine is absolutely fundamental in enabling us to harness Earth’s natural resources to create clean, sustainable energy to power our everyday lives. We look forward to seeing the huge benefits of the project both locally and nationally and hope to see it set a precedent for the expansion of geothermal in the UK.”

Monika Paplaczyk, Investment Director, Thrive Renewables

Site operator – Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) – predicts United Downs will deliver 2MWe of baseload electricity once operational, plus additional zero carbon heat for local housing, hospitals and schools. The site also has the potential to fulfil a significant portion of the UK’s lithium demand. Tests at United Downs have shown that geothermal fluid within the wells has one of the highest concentrations of lithium in Europe at 340 parts per million (ppm). This sustainably produced lithium could be used to support the growing EV industry as we transition to net zero.

GEL run monthly family open days to give local people the opportunity to learn about the project and see its progress. The next one is taking place on 20 August and tickets can be booked through Eventbrite.