§ Mr. HindTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to end the research programme into geothermal hot dry rock technology.
§ Mr. MoynihanNo, the current phase of work on hot dry rock technology is due to be completed in September 1991. My Department has undertaken a thorough review of the technology with substantial input from the contractors for the present programme, Camborne school of mines (CSM), the RTZ Consultants Limited (RTZC). This has shown that very substantial uncertainties remain about the practicality of extracting energy from hot dry rocks within the United Kingdom and, although the economics are very uncertain, the technology seems unlikely to be competitive with conventional means of generation in the short to medium term.
In the light of this I have concluded that a new direction rather than closure of the programme is needed. The next phase of work (expected to be carried out by CSM and its associates, and RTZC), for which £3.3 million will be provided over the period 1 October 1991 to 31 March 1994, will concentrate less on research in Cornwall and involve greater collaboration with a European programme now under way involving France, Germany and the European Commission. In this way the substantial expertise developed in the United Kingdom can be exploited in a European context and opportunities pursued for transferring the technology to industry. A decision on further major investment in an experimental prototype will be taken in about two years when feasibility work on the different European sites has been completed.