A study is to take place into whether the Cheshire Basin near Nantwich could generate long-term, renewable energy from geothermal power.
Keele University is to carry out major research into whether land north of Nantwich and west of Crewe could be viable.
An £88,000 Government grant has signalled a new partnership between Keele and Cheshire East Council.
PhD students at Keele will research the technical and economic aspects of the project.
It will involve drilling down up to 5km and extracting water heated by the earth’s core at temperatures around 100 degrees Celsius.
The British Geological Survey has identified the Cheshire Basin in Leighton West as one of six deep geothermal resources in the UK.
There could be potential to generate 100 gigawatt hours a year in a 2.5km radius – enough to provide every UK resident with a daily shower for 142 years.
Cheshire East will support students working on live projects for their MSc and PhDs, and provide access to research funding to develop work on the council’s energy policy.
Professor Peter Styles, professor of applied and environmental geophysics at Keele University, said: “This partnership will provide an exciting, long-term opportunity for developing truly innovative research.
“There are significant scientific and commercial benefits to the collaboration and I can see the region being at the forefront of renewable energy research in the very near future.”
Leader of Cheshire East Council Michael Jones said: “This is an important agreement for the council and demonstrates our flexibility, innovation and teamwork when it comes realising our ambitions.
“I am determined to eradicate fuel poverty within the borough and this comes on the back of our announcement to launch Fairerpower, an energy supply provider.”
(Pic: Professor Mark Ormerod, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, and Cllr Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council)
The Cheshire basin could, apparently, heat 33% of UK households using clean energy. I can see boiling water coming out of the drill head but can the distribution of this heat source be explained and can it be done economically?