Geothermal largely neglected in push for decarbonisation of the UK’s heat sector
Southampton District Energy Scheme geothermal heating plant, UK (source: commons wikimedia, suitcivil)
Alexander Richter
14 Ara 2015
Recent policy push by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and think tank Policy Connect largely neglects the potential for geothermal heating in the UK.
In a recent statement, the Renewable Energy Association (REA) of the United Kingdom warned that the UK government would need to do more to promote the decarbonisation of the heat sector.
With heating representing around 50% of the energy demand in Europe, the same is likely the case in the UK. So it is a warning sign that a recent report by think tank Policy Connect in the country concluded that the UK is failing to meet its low carbon heat targets.
The REA and Policy Connect both think that extending the renewable heat incentive scheme would be the most effective way to support this aim. The target is for 12% of the UK’s heat to come from low carbon or renewable sources by 2020.
REA said that missing the low carbon heat targets puts more pressure on other areas to meet the UK’s commitment to decarbonise the energy industry by 2020.
Heat is one of three sectors used to meet the target. The others are transport and electricity and the failure of one to meet its target means the others must contribute more to reach the overall target.
The report, entitled ‘Policy for Heat- Transforming the System’ concludes that biomass is immediately available, sustainable and offers a versatile source of low carbon heat in the UK but that more should be done to encourage the development of other alternative technologies.
The sad part is that the report does only mention geothermal once, as part of listing renewables. This totally neglects the potential of geothermal in the context of heating for the UK. While several geothermal heating projects have so far failed to materialise, the potential is there.
One can only hope that the UK wakes up to its geothermal heating potential and builds upon the experience of the currently only geothermal district heating project in Southampton which has been in operation for now more than 25 years. With the right support for the sector, particularly for the early stage drilling, geothermal heating projects could get off the ground.
Source: renews
