Magic beneath the surface': pioneering geothermal plant launched in Cornwall

"From Thursday, the Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) plant near Redruth will feed electricity created by tapping into hot granite rocks to the National Grid and extract lithium from the mineral-rich water used in the process. The switch-on, the first of its kind in Britain, has been welcomed by the government, which sees projects like this as a way of bolstering energy, and by people from Cornwall, who take pride in their mining heritage and hope for an economic boost in a deprived part of the West Country."

"GEL says the plant will generate enough renewable electricity to power 10,000 homes, with the plan to open more, bigger sites in Cornwall. Within a decade it says it will be producing enough lithium carbonate, a key material used in the production of rechargeable batteries, to supply about 250,000 electric vehicles a year."

"Law said it had been difficult at times in the past to make the argument to politicians and investors that it was sensible to drill more than three miles into the reservoirs of very hot water (about 190C) found in faults in the granite in this part of Cornwall. With any first technology, you've got to convince everyone, he said."

Geothermal Engineering Ltd has launched Britain's first geothermal power station near Redruth, Cornwall, tapping into hot granite rocks approximately three miles underground to generate renewable electricity for the National Grid. The facility simultaneously extracts lithium from mineral-rich water used in the process. The plant will power 10,000 homes and produce lithium carbonate for rechargeable batteries, with plans to supply 250,000 electric vehicles annually within a decade. The project represents a 20-year development effort and revitalizes Cornwall's mining legacy while addressing energy demands and economic needs in the region. The government supports such initiatives as solutions for bolstering renewable energy production.

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