Scotland is embarking on an exciting era of geothermal exploration and development. In June 2011 deep geothermal energy featured for the first time in the Scottish Government's Routemap for renewable energy, identified as an emerging technology of importance to Scotland. By November 2011 Scottish Enterprise had commissioned a study to locate a site for a geothermal demonstration project. In early 2012 the Scottish Government commissioned a year-long study of the national geothermal potential and the policy framework required to encourage commercial investment.
At St Andrews University we have a research group investigating various types of deep geothermal resources that could be exploitable within Scotland, including hot sedimentary aquifers in the Central Belt and hot fractured rocks (enhanced geothermal systems) in the Highlands. The prime motivation for our research is the pressing need to access low carbon energy resources that are not dependent on climatic conditions and have little impact on the environment. Nationally we also require sources of energy that are capable of supporting baseload power (i.e. always on) and heat demands from secure sources that are not subject to major swings in fuel costs beyond our control. Scotland's energy policy does not include nuclear technologies and geothermal energy represents one of the few low carbon baseload technologies available to us. Our researches indicate that such resources undoubtedly exist in Scotland but evidence for their presence has been obliterated by the effects of the last glaciation. Overcoming this problem is central to our research effort.
Anyone interested in how deep geothermal energy could contribute in meeting our challenging national renewable heat and power targets is welcome to contact me directly.
