University lecturer to give geopark Zoom talk on prospect of geothermal energy in the north
A university lecturer is to give a Zoom talk on the prospects for geothermal energy in the north.
Glasgow University lecturer Dr Iain Neill, who grew up in Dingwall, will speak on ‘Geothermal Energy Potentials in the North’ next Tuesday, January 14, from 7.30pm-9pm.
The online event has been organised by the North West Highlands Geopark.
Dr Neill, who has a BSc from St Andrews and a PhD from Cardiff University, said: “The further you drill into the ground, the hotter it gets, and deep geothermal drilling is now in favour, including in Cornwall. Shallower drilling is now being explored to heat the University of Leeds.
“Geothermal energy has been mooted elsewhere in Scotland but is hampered by a lack of geological data necessary to de-risk investment in drilling.
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“However, such systems are low carbon, quiet, require little land, and are reliable regardless of the weather or shocks to the national grid, and are built to last 50 years or more.
“They should be owned and distributed locally to benefit communities.”
In his talk, Dr Neill will discuss which rocks across the Highlands and Islands could be of interest, from granites to fault zones, and how heat could be extracted.
“This is research that is only just getting started, perhaps with potential for some of the larger communities around the north-west Highlands,” he said.
“I want to show you our ideas and ask for your input, positive or negative, about whether geothermal systems might be added to our energy mix.”
To book a place at the talk, click here.
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