Congleton’s Sustainability meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
BF Geothermal report.
BF put together a short guide to geothermal ready for this meeting including suggested questions for Dan Griffiths prior to his visit 2nd October. These were circulated prior to the meeting.
Mention was also made of the article in The Chronicle (31.8.17) by Prof John Underhill (Shell Centre for Exploration Geoscience ,Heriot-Watt Univ, where he is of the opinion that Britain’s geology could be unsuitable for shale gas.
List of Questions to be sent to D.Griffiths:-
1. How do you know that there is potential for geothermal in Cheshire East? Which parts have the potential? Confirm that this is for district heating, not electricity.eothermal in Cheshire East? Which parts have the potential? Confirm that this is for district heating, not electricity.
2. What stage are you at now? What surveys, tests or research have been done, and with what results? (CE had DECC money for a feasibility study for a geothermal district heating scheme for Crewe town centre in 2015. Has that study reported?)
3. What do you intend to do now? For example what sort of schemes are planned, what areas will they serve, when will work start and when will it be completed. What will be the extent of the schemes e.g. number of houses, kilowatt hours or other appropriate units.
4. Who will develop the schemes? Cheshire East, arms length companies, independent operators….. ?
5. Who has the rights to geothermal resources (landowners, council, government…. ) and what permissions are required?
6. Would fracking be required to improve the flow of water through the heat bearing rocks? Why would this be any more friendly than fracking for gas?
7. Would the returning hot water be free of pollutants picked up from the hot rocks, and would there be any danger to users? For example from radioactivity or radon gas or other toxic substances?
8. Confirm that access to geothermal would not give CE any power to resist fracking for gas.
9. Please discuss the energy planning of Cheshire East, and the part played by geothermal.
MS send to D.Groffiths copy in D.Brown and G.Williams
Badger Cull in Cheshire.
Barry asked for this to be raised at the meeting following a report in The Chronicle (31.8.17)
Currently a decision on a cull has not been made according to Natural England, and it would appear that Wildlife activist are raising the issue as a potential threat. Cheshire police indicate that they have a plan in place should a licence for badger culling be granted in Cheshire.
It was decided that PA would write to the Chronicle to be seen to support Cheshire Wildlife Trust and their stance on the matter.
Next Meeting:-
Mon 2nd October 2017 The Old Saw Mill ,10.00am