Utilising geothermal energy could unlock jobs in some of the most deprived areas of the North East, according to a report by a backbench MP.
Conservative Dr Kieran Mullan - who represents the Crewe and Nantwich constituency in Cheshire - worked with academics at Durham University to identify the top 45 places in the UK with deep geothermal plants, capitalising on the presence of hot water stored in rocks located at least one kilometre underground. The report highlights previous research indicating that building a network of plants could contribute 35,000 jobs to the economy by 2050 and also suggests an overlap with the identified high-potential sites for deep geothermal and areas most in need of so-called levelling-up.
Among the areas identified as having the potential to create jobs were Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and County Durham, as well as a number of areas on Teesside. Former mines in the North East and geothermal schemes in Gateshead, Seaham and at North East firm Lanchester Wines are highlighted in the report.
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Deep geothermal energy is a carbon neutral resource that uses the heat from naturally occurring underground water sources to generate usable energy above ground. The renewable energy form is already being utilised internationally, generating two-thirds of the energy in Iceland, and contributing to heating homes and businesses in Germany, France and the Netherlands, according to the report.
Dr Mullan said deep geothermal energy is heating 250,000 homes in Paris, while Munich is investing €1bn through to 2035 to develop geothermal energy as it strives to make the city’s heating carbon neutral.
He added: “As part of my report I commissioned Durham University’s Energy Institute to review data about where we know the best combination of hot water and rocks are to identify the top 45 places to locate plants. The aim was to kick start local stakeholders into driving forward projects from the ground up.
“But in an unexpected but very stark finding, six of these 45 sites are in the top 10 of the index used by Government to identify areas in need of levelling up. 44% of the list of high potential locations for deep geothermal fall within the top 100 levelling up locations. That is three times the amount you would expect as a result of chance.
“This gives us yet another reason to look closely at this technology. If we want to secure public support for the energy transition we need to ensure government investment to deliver it is spread to those places most in need of new jobs and opportunities.”
The report has been praised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps.
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