Thrive provided the first commercial funding for the United Downs project in Cornwall in 2020, followed up by further investment in 2023 and 2025 to complete construction. The site, which is owned and operated by Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) became operational in 2026, generating the UK’s first ever geothermal electricity. United Downs provides 24/7 home-grown baseload power, helping to boost energy security by reducing our reliance on imported balancing power to complement wind and solar.  

In another UK first, the site is also producing commercial scale sustainable lithium carbonate, the key raw material used in the production of rechargeable batteries, including those that power electricity vehicles and energy storage systems. 

The well at United Downs that produces the geothermal fluid for power and lithium is over 5km deep – the deepest well ever drilled on UK soil. It taps into water exceeding 190°C – the hottest recorded in the UK. After power generation, the fluid is processed to produce technical grade lithium carbonate. The water brought to the surface contains over 340 parts per million (ppm) of lithium, making it one of the highest concentrations found in any well to date in the world.