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Alternative energy sources - is deep geothermal the best green way to heat our homes?

  • June 3, 2023
  • 4 replies
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Firedog
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Those interested in a greener future with less reliance on fossil fuels may be interested in a report submitted to the PM and parliament yesterday: 

https://www.drkieranmullan.org.uk/news/deep-geothermal-report-publishd

 

4 replies

Tim_OVO
Retired Moderator
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  • June 5, 2023

Thanks for sharing this, @Firedog. That’s just the sort of good news story I need on a Monday morning!

 

Deep geothermal energy is heating 250,000 homes in Paris

 

That’s no small feat! They mention it being cost effective, I wonder how much upfront investment is needed to harness this and how long the infrastructure lasts without needing maintenance and replacement. From what I see it’s always costs that hinder a renewable energy source from being utilized. 

 


BPLightlog
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  • June 5, 2023

Iceland has a good geothermal source .. it also has some fairly active volcanos 

 


Jeffus
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  • June 5, 2023

I recommend a visit here if you are interested in this sort of thing and ever visit Iceland. 

https://www.on.is/en/geothermal-exhibition/

It was amazing to see and hear about it in action.

The waterfalls are also interesting to visit, also the geothermal outside pools and the fault line running through the country. 


Firedog
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  • June 5, 2023

I lived in Iceland for 17 years, so that’s where my interest in geothermal energy (GE) springs from, to coin a phrase. 

The article only mentions using GE for heating, and for many years that was almost the sole use it was put to in Iceland, eventually reaching 85% of all houses. Nowadays though, GE produces 27% of Iceland’s electricity, too. That’s not likely to happen here in the foreseeable future, though, because the high temperatures are much deeper.