UK towns and cities could be heated by geothermal energy
A report commissioned by the UK government has identified 45 areas of the country with the greatest potential for deep geothermal energy, including Eastbourne, Middlesbrough, Sheffield and York. The report reveals a much more detailed picture of possible schemes than previous studies, and suggests that the UK has enough trapped underground heat to warm every home for 100 years. The process, used in abundance in Iceland and which heats 250,000 homes in Paris, typically involves sending water at least 500 metres down boreholes to be heated to around 100C before bringing it back to the surface. However, with the exception of a 1986 scheme in Southampton, this low-carbon heating source has been untapped in the UK.