Ireland powers up for geothermal energy - Green Tech | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service

Ireland powers up for geothermal energy - Green Tech | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service

GT Energy, a geothermal energy company exploring the potential for a geothermal energy plant in Newcastle, south Co Dublin, has lodged a planning application with South Dublin County Council in the hopes of constructing Ireland’s first geothermal electricity facility.

GT Energy says the proposed facility at Newcastle could provide up to 4 megawatts of electricity - powering up to 8,000 homes - which would be fed directly into the grid.

If the project applications are successful, GT says the drilling of the wells will commence early next year, with the plant scheduled to be operational in 2012. GT Energy commenced its investigation into the potential for geothermal resources in Ireland in 2006 and a year later began a three-phase drilling and data collection plan. The development’s estimated cost is around €30m and the energy company says it is receiving technical assistance from ESB International