The Geothermal Potential of the United Kingdom

Abstract

The United Kingdom forms part of the stable continental foreland of north-west Europe. The average background surface heat flow is 52 mW/m2 but there are several anomalies with values ranging up to 136 m W/m2 superimposed on the background field. Three of these are associated with granite batholiths in Cornwall. northern England and the Eastern Highlands of Scotland. Two potential sources of geothermal energy have been investigated in the UK: the Hot Dry Rock resource, which depends on the heat stored in impermeable rocks at depths greater than 3 to 4 km: and the low enthalpy resource provided by aquifers in sedimentary basins at depths up to about 3 km.