§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what research programmes have been funded in the current year by his Department to determine the location and development potential of thermal rock deposits in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe Department has a continuing research programme to investigate the potential of hot dry rocks as a source of energy. Research to establish a heat extraction technique has continued at the Camborne school of mines and a commitment to a further stage costing nearly £11 million over three years was announced on 28 June 1983.
Further research to investigate the nature and occurrence of hot dry rocks under various parts of the United Kingdom has also been funded by my Department, at the Institute of Geological Sciences and serveral universities involving both desk studies and field measurements.