6km geothermal well could be drilled in Clyde banks in bid to create new power

The £60 million deep geothermal project would tap into the natural heat found beneath the earth’s surface.

The renewable scheme could offer a possible lifeline to the energy crisis – with countries like Iceland already having geothermal power plants. Cornwall is also set to generate geothermal energy.

Glasgow City Council head of sustainability Gavin Slater revealed investigations are taking place into the feasibility of geothermal energy for Scotland’s biggest city this week.

Mr Slater told the council’s net zero and climate progress monitoring city policy committee: “Geothermal energy is something that has been successfully utilised in many countries in Europe. There is every indication from the pre feasibility work that has been done in Glasgow that Glasgow has the right geological conditions to enable deep geothermal.”

Explaining how it will work, he added: “It would manifest itself in the delivery of a six kilometre deep geothermal well, which would produce 200 degree steam, which we would run through a turbine and turn into electricity with the effluent from that being 100 degree water, which we could distribute through a district heating network.”

He added: “It’s transformational potential is nothing short of significant. We have the funding in place and second stage feasibility is about to kick off. We know this is gathering a lot of interest from investors in the city and outside the city.”

The geothermal investigations were discussed as Mr Slater gave councillors on the committee a presentation on the Glasgow climate plan.

Mr Slater told politicians there is also a bid to install solar farms on land and the search is on for sites.

He said: “We are looking at the installation of large scale ground mounted solar.”

He described how the council is working with a company with infrastructure to provide an electricity network providing power at a “reduced cost and to the city.”

Work to create a climate neutral innovation district is also underway in the east of the city centre around the area of Merchant City and the High Street.

Mr Slater said the project involves a target of 100 per cent renewable heat, power and transport in the area. It involves a bid to roll out a “river source heat pump powered district heating network.”

Among a range of schemes, the Glasgow climate plan will also see investment in the retrofit of buildings and changes in transport with more support for electric vehicles.

Glasgow City Council aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.