The UK's first geothermal power plant began operating on Thursday, 26 February. The United Downs power plant in Corwall has been switched on after nearly two decades in development, which required Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) to drill the deepest on-shore well in the UK (5000 metres deep).
Hot water, at around 190 degrees C, will drive turbines to generate 3 MW of electricity, which is enough to meet the power demand of 10,000 homes.
The plant will also provide the UK's first domestic supply of lithium carbonate, to be used in batteries for electric vehicles. [Source: BBC News]
