Alphaxioms Geothermal News and Related Research Globally

The United Downs project near Redruth, Cornwall is set to make history as the UK’s first integrated deep geothermal power and heat project. This week, Geothermal Engineering, the team behind the project, announced securing £15m in funding to bring their vision to life . (image source:cornwal) The funding, which includes £12m from Kerogen Capital and £3m from Thrive Renewables, will go towards developing the United Downs project, with the goal of providing up to 10MWh of heat and 2MW of electricity by next year. The heat generated will be used to power a nearby social housing estate currently under development. But that's not all - Geothermal Engineering has big plans for the future. With the funding, the team will also prepare other sites for geothermal power development, with the aim of generating 25MW of electricity and 100MWh of renewable heat per year by 2028. “We believe geothermal in the UK has enormous potential to create a new industry, grow a domestic supply chain and driv

Nuclear power has long been touted as one of the most promising sources of clean energy. With concerns about climate change, nuclear reactors have come to the forefront of energy production. Advanced nuclear reactors are one of the newest and most exciting developments in this field . (image source:unsplash.com) Advanced nuclear reactors use technology that is significantly different from traditional nuclear reactors. While traditional reactors use water to cool the reactor core, advanced reactors use a variety of cooling methods, such as molten salt, liquid metal, or gas. This allows for more efficient energy production and greater safety. One type of advanced reactor is the Small Modular Reactor (SMR). These reactors are smaller than traditional reactors, making them more affordable and easier to construct. SMRs also have greater flexibility, allowing them to be used in a variety of settings, such as remote locations or industrial facilities. Another type of advanced reactor is the H

Dow has partnered with X-energy under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) Cooperative Agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to install their Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) plant at one of Dow's sites on the US Gulf Coast. (image source:unsplash.com) This collaboration aims to provide safe, reliable, and low-carbon power and steam to the site within this decade. The Joint Development Agreement (JDA) includes up to $50 million in engineering work, with half of it to be funded by Dow and the other half eligible for funding through ARDP. The JDA also involves the preparation and submission of a Construction Permit application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Dow's Chairman and CEO, Jim Fitterling, stated that the use of X-energy's nuclear technology will enable Dow to reduce its carbon emissions and deliver lower-carbon footprint products to its customers and society. The parties expect to finalize site selection in 2023

EDF, the operator of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool nuclear power plants in the north of England, has just made a game-changing announcement. Brace yourself, because these two power units will now continue to operate until 2026, two years longer than previously planned! Heysham 1 (Image: EDF) The decision comes after a rigorous review by EDF, prompted by the impact of the Russian war with Ukraine and energy price rises. Positive inspections of the graphite reactor cores during 2022 have increased confidence that the stations can generate for longer and continue to meet stringent regulatory standards. But wait, there's more! The 29TWh of electricity these stations could generate over the two-year period could help to displace 6 billion cubic metres of gas, in carbon emission terms "like taking 5 million cars off the UK’s roads for a year". Not only does this help the UK reduce its use of imported gas, but it's also great news for the 2000 skilled people whose jobs are suppor

Fervo Energy, a geothermal power start-up based in Houston, is testing a new spin on traditional geothermal plants. The start-up's experiments suggest that it can create flexible geothermal power plants, which are capable of producing electricity that can be ramped up or down as required.   Fervo’s enhanced geothermal demonstration site in northern Nevada ALASTAIR WIPER/COURTESY OF FERVO ENERGY Additionally, the system can store up energy for hours or days, essentially acting as a giant and long-lasting battery. This means that the plants could shut down production when solar and wind farms are generating power and provide a rich stream of clean electricity when those sources flag. Fervo's approach could potentially fill a critical gap in modern power grids, making it cheaper and easier to eliminate greenhouse-gas emissions from electricity systems. The results from the initial experiments—which MIT Technology Review is reporting exclusively—suggest Fervo can create flexible ge

Geothermal energy is gaining popularity in the Western United States as a means of achieving renewable energy goals. Instead of drilling for oil, states like Colorado are drilling for underground heat to power geothermal electricity plants. Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who chairs the Western Governors’ Association, is leading an initiative to increase the use of geothermal energy in the region. A recent workshop brought together state and federal officials, industry leaders, and utility representatives to discuss the future of geothermal energy. (image source: unsplash.com,Sam Bark) Backers of geothermal energy believe it can play a vital role in the clean energy transition, but only with government investments, utility regulations, and other policies that encourage development and help the industry become more cost-competitive over time. The majority of the industry’s potential for power generation is in Western states, where underground permeable rock with fractures contains hot fl

Electricity is a fundamental part of our daily lives, powering everything from the devices we use to the lights in our homes. But have you ever stopped to think about how electricity is transmitted?  image source(unsplash.com) The process of transmitting electricity from power plants to our homes is a complex and fascinating one, involving a variety of technologies and techniques. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how electricity is transmitted. Generation The first step in transmitting electricity is generating it. Most of the electricity we use is generated by power plants, which convert some form of energy into electrical energy. There are many different types of power plants, including fossil fuel plants, nuclear plants, hydroelectric plants, and renewable energy plants. Each type of plant generates electricity in a slightly different way, but the end result is the same: electrical energy is produced. Transforming Voltage Once electricity is generated, it is typicall