Hot rocks in plan for power supply

Jessica Benton
Hot rocks deep under the Bellarine Peninsula could provide renewable green energy to the region’s homes and industry, a company has announced.
Greenearth Energy wants to drill on the peninsula and in the Latrobe Valley for “wet hot rocks” to generate geothermal power.
Managing director Mark Miller said the peninsula was a potential target for geothermal energy.
“We believe we’re on to a breakthrough for ourselves and a double whammy for Canberra with the economic flow-on of clean, renewable power for industry and homes in the Geelong area and Latrobe Valley,” he said.
“Through further exploration work and with adequate funding we’re looking to be able to identify the most opportunistic area for geothermal energy. It could be tremendous to ultimately have a renewable source of energy from the peninsula.”
Mr Miller said the peninsula had potential for its likely hot-rock resource with proximity to the power grid and industrial and residential customers.
Greenearth had been studying the peninsula for a couple of years, he said.
The studies had revealed aquifers of hot sediment with potential for geothermal power generation.
Mr Miller called geothermal energy “the way of the future”.
“Geothermal is renewable and emissions-free. You don’t need the sun to shine or the wind to blow,” Mr Miller said.
“It’s available 24-hours and has the possibility to offer baseload power.”
Mr Miller said Greenearth had submitted a bid for Federal Government funding and was in talks with “key stakeholders” on the peninsula.