GeoThermal Energy

There is a very real and not very easily solvable problem for governments and those of us who live in the temperate zones of the Earth in achieving, or even getting any where near, the required carbon reduction targets to reduce global swarming to 2c by 2030 (The Paris Agreement, 2015). This problem (and there are, of course, others) is domestic heating, the energy it consumes and the associated carbon emissions -  which, of course, contribute to global warming rather than limiting it – coupled with the technical challenges and costs of mitigating the problem through direct measures.

We live on a warm planet. By this, I do not mean a planet warmed by the Sun. I am talking here about a planet with a warm (in fact a hot, a very hot iron core ranging in temperature from 4,000 to 6,0000 Celsius – the actual temperature being dependent on the rotation of the earth itself). This is, of course, not new news. We all know that the Romans built their baths around hot springs, but it is also the case that for centuries before the Romans, indigenous peoples have used hot springs for cooking, bathing and warmth.

Sustainable Capital PLC is working with 850 (85 degrees renewable), a world leader in geothermal heating, exploring the potential for the expansion of geothermal energy and heating to meet an increased percentage of domestic and industrial demand for heat and power.

Whilst there are well recognised challenges for the expansion of the geothermal sector (including: high set up costs, potential geological instability), there are some very significant advantages, notably: geothermal heat is the epitome of a renewable and sustainable source (on geological timescales) that is inherently reliable and sustainable, although it is location specific there is (just within the temperate zones) a huge geographical potential to tap into geothermal energy and, whilst not-totally non-polluting,  geothermal energy is more environmentally friendly than other energy sources.

According to 850 - Worldwide, the geothermal heating market is projected to grow by more than 40% by 2024, with much of that demand coming from mainland Europe where geothermal projects are already well-established and progressed.

Of course, geothermal energy and heat doesn’t solve the problem of inadequately insulated homes, but geothermal energy does provide us with a way of heating those homes in an environmentally secure, sustainable and friendly manner.