Heat of the Earth will be used to power 10,000 homes in groundbreaking new renewable energy scheme
Published on Mar 03, 2026 at 1:24 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Mar 03, 2026 at 1:24 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
A newly-opened $67 million geothermal power plant in the UK will use the Earth’s heat to generate renewable energy to power 10,000 homes.
Situated near Redruth in Cornwall, the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project is the first of its kind in the UK.
It will provide a new type of renewable energy using underground hot water to power turbines.
Owned and operated by Geothermal Engineering Ltd (or GEL), the power plant has been under development for 15 years, but is now up and running.
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The geothermal power plant has been hailed as a ‘major step forward’
Interest in renewable energy sources has exploded in recent years, with hundreds of Americans investing in solar panels for their homes, and countries like China and Japan spending billions to go green.
Over in the UK, the newly opened geothermal power plant has been hailed as a ‘major step forward’ by the British Geological Survey and could help power 10,000 homes.
To access this renewable energy, GEL drilled the deepest on-shore boreholes in the whole of the UK – around three miles underground.
At these depths, temperatures can hit almost 392°F (200°C), which is hot to generate electricity.
“You drill deep boreholes into the ground, and then fractures within the granite rock are used to circulate the water that pick up the heat [that is] used for electricity production,” the British Geological Survey’s head of geothermal Dr Monaghan told the BBC.
Unlike some other renewable energy sources, like solar power, geothermal energy is ‘constantly on’ providing around the clock energy.
GEL has sold the power generated at the site to Octopus Energy, which has branded the new project a ‘genuine game changer’.
As well as providing energy, GEL will also use the site to extract lithium carbonate, which is essential for creating electric batteries.
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Demand for renewable energy is up due to AI
Although this is the first power plant of its kind in the UK, interest in geothermal energy is growing – and it’s partially down to AI.
Tech giants, like Microsoft and Meta, are reportedly looking towards renewable sources to power data centers.
“Data centers have major power needs, and we all know that this is very challenging for our current and future anticipated grid,” head of Geothermal UK Anne Murrell told the BBC.
“What’s happening worldwide is companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are looking to geothermal to provide the energy for their data centres.”
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With a background in both local and national press in the UK, Claire has covered a range of topics, including technology, gaming, and cryptocurrency, since joining the editorial team at Supercar Blondie in May 2024. Her ability to be first to a story has been integral to making SB’s coverage of scientific discovery, AI, and global tech news a slick 24/7 operation.
