Cluff Geothermal Welcomes the Renewable Heat Incentive

11th January 2012

Cluff Geothermal Managing Director George Percy welcomed the deployment of the Renewable Heat Incentive, and predicted that it will drive a rapid expansion of geothermal heat in the UK.

‘The RHI is now a reality, and businesses are registering to receive it. This is excellent news and we expect the RHI will help us roll out deep geothermal heat projects across the UK in the next few years. Deep geothermal energy is an ideal green technology which can help us tackle climate change and also improve the UK’s energy security. It offers us a renewable, very low carbon source of heating that can supply continuous heat yet occupies only a small surface footprint. And as well as providing low carbon green heat the sector we will be creating green jobs.’

Mr Percy continued ‘the RHI shows the Government’s commitment to developing renewable heat. We expect deep geothermal heat to prove itself one of the cheapest and most popular forms of renewable energy available in the UK. In a few years’ time, UK householders will think nothing of heating their houses using energy from deep below their feet – and I expect Cluff Geothermal’s projects in the North East to be the pathfinders for this technology in the UK.’

Notes for Editors

  • Cluff geothermal are currently aiming to develop an initial two geothermal energy projects in the UK’s North East, at Shiremoor in North Tyneside and Eastgate in Country Durham. The region is regarded as having excellent deep geothermal potential, and the deepest geothermal borehole in the UK was recently drilled in central Newcastle.
  • The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a financial support mechanism for renewable heat, and will be available to commercial, industrial, public and not-for-profit and community generators of renewable heat. Payments will be based on the metered amount of heat generated.
  • The Coalition Government has made £860 million available to support the cost of the renewable heat incentive over a 4 year period.
  • DECC announced on 25 November 2011 that the RHI would be open to applicants from Monday 28 November. The scheme will be administered by Ofgem.