112-492: Ecotricity is a British energy company based in Stroud , Gloucestershire, England, specialising in selling green energy to consumers that it primarily generates from its 87.2 megawatt wind power portfolio. It is built on the principle of heavily reinvesting its profit in building more of its own green energy generation. The company was founded in 1995 by Dale Vince , who remains in control; in 2022 he announced an intention to sell
224-462: A 20% failure rate. In total, electrical station construction and well drilling costs about 2–5 million € per MW of electrical capacity, while the levelised energy cost is 0.04–0.10 € per kW·h. Enhanced geothermal systems tend to be on the high side of these ranges, with capital costs above $ 4 million per MW and levelized costs above $ 0.054 per kW·h in 2007. Research suggests in-reservoir storage could increase
336-513: A balance between the needs of EV drivers and PHEV drivers led to a £3 connection fee, waived for Ecotricity customers, and 17p per KWh. In 2018 the Ecotricity EV tariff on its motorway network was 30p/KWh for non-Ecotricity customers and half this for customers. Access was via a mobile phone app. To help with using this, some of the charging points were fitted with short-range, restricted, WiFi to enable connection in poor mobile signal areas. By
448-531: A coal-fired power plant emits 1,001 kg of CO 2 equivalent per megawatt-hour when not coupled with carbon capture and storage (CCS). As many geothermal projects are situated in volcanically active areas that naturally emit greenhouse gases, it is hypothesized that geothermal plants may actually decrease the rate of de-gassing by reducing the pressure on underground reservoirs. Stations that experience high levels of acids and volatile chemicals are usually equipped with emission-control systems to reduce
560-620: A combination of these. This circulation sometimes exists naturally where the crust is thin: magma conduits bring heat close to the surface, and hot springs bring the heat to the surface. If a hot spring is not available, a well must be drilled into a hot aquifer . Away from tectonic plate boundaries the geothermal gradient is 25–30 °C per kilometre (km) of depth in most of the world, so wells would have to be several kilometres deep to permit electricity generation. The quantity and quality of recoverable resources improves with drilling depth and proximity to tectonic plate boundaries. In ground that
672-485: A diverse range of unsigned bands who lack a contract with a record label. With a number of outdoor stages, and the majority of the venues in town taking part, over 400 performers can be seen free of charge over the course of the weekend. The town also hosts an annual series of lectures and exhibitions on contemporary textiles and textile culture called SELECT, run by Stroud International Textiles, an event that exhibits international textiles. The Stroudwater Textile Trust
784-677: A few miles to the north (in Cheltenham and Gloucester ) and the Royal Agricultural University west of Cirencester is 12 miles (19 km) to the east. There are multiple bus routes around Stroud, and to nearby towns as well as Gloucester, many of which are operated by Stagecoach West . Geothermal power Geothermal power is electrical power generated from geothermal energy . Technologies in use include dry steam power stations, flash steam power stations and binary cycle power stations. Geothermal electricity generation
896-460: A further 100 MW to its existing 70 MW capacity, The following month, the company decided not to attempt new planning applications in England because of the political climate, instead concentrating on Scotland. It went on to spin its small turbine manufacturer out into a subsidiary called Britwind, which, in collaboration with a local company, offered free electricity to crofters in return for installing
1008-419: A generator, thereby producing electricity. The fluid is then cooled and returned to the heat source. Dry steam stations are the simplest and oldest design. There are few power stations of this type, because they require a resource that produces dry steam , but they are the most efficient, with the simplest facilities. At these sites, there may be liquid water present in the reservoir, but only steam, not water,
1120-424: A high power IEC 62196 32amp 3-phase socket. There were plans for charging points at RoadChef sites also. In October 2012, the company started to add 50 kW CHAdeMO fast charging stations, allowing compatible cars to recharge within 30 minutes. In April 2014 it was announced that it would be adding support for Combined Charging System connectors, and by September Ecotricity had over 120 chargers, branded as
1232-562: A large and diverse number of creative artists and musicians. The town was one of the birthplaces of the organic food movement and was home to Britain's first fully organic café. The Biodynamic Agricultural Association is based in the town. For many years Stroud has hosted a fringe festival on the second weekend in September. A new committee took over in early 2015 and now holds the festival on August Bank Holiday each year. The festival has been expanded to cover art and literature, as well as
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#17328725165011344-532: A legal challenge in the High Court. There is still a small textile industry (the green baize cloth used to cover snooker tables and the cloth covering championship tennis balls is made here), but today the town functions primarily as a centre for light engineering and small-scale manufacturing, and a provider of services for the surrounding villages. Stroud is a Fairtrade Town . The Stroud and Swindon Building Society had its headquarters here until it merged with
1456-585: A national average of 7.9%), with plans for a further increase to 60% by 2012. In the past, a substantial proportion of the electricity (25.9% in 2007) sold by Ecotricity to customers came from nuclear sources. This proportion had decreased to 16% by 2010, and 2.6% by 2011. Ecotricity also provided a 100% renewable energy tariff called New Energy Plus, in which renewable energy was bought in from other suppliers to top up renewable energy produced by Ecotricity. In Conisholme in Lincolnshire on 8 January 2009 two of
1568-574: A range of cuts to health services in and around Stroud, with thousands of people taking part in street demonstrations. Stroud Maternity Hospital was saved in September 2006. The Uplands Post Office branch in Stroud was one of 26 in the county to shut as part of a nationwide programme to cut losses. Following local opposition, the Post Office agreed to talks with civic chiefs to look at how it could reopen. The town council agreed to provide £10,000 of funding for
1680-518: A rough and hurried way, and covered up again. A short account of it appeared in the public press at the time. The excavation at a site at Ebley Road in Stonehouse has revealed evidence of some of the earliest Roman activity known in the Stroud Valleys. A large rectangular enclosure dating back to the 1st century AD was found and more than a dozen human skeletons were unearthed at the end of 2010. At
1792-557: A small local weaver, now home to a leisure centre with an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool , and the Museum in the Park. Housed in a Grade II listed 17th-century wool merchant's house, the museum collection tells the story of the Stroud District's history. It has over 4,000 objects on display, including dinosaur bones, historical paintings and one of the world’s first lawnmowers. In addition to
1904-410: A small turbine, keeping any excess power generated. In March 2015, Ecotricity announced it had refinanced its existing wind farms with the aim of using the extra capital to expand production to 100 megawatts by November 2016. In 2016, Ecotricity had approximately a 25% shareholding stake in competitor Good Energy , which has been sustained to 2020. In the 2017/2018 financial year the company had
2016-412: A source of renewable energy for both power and heating, geothermal has the potential to meet 3 to 5% of global demand by 2050. With economic incentives , it is estimated that by 2100 it will be possible to meet 10% of global demand with geothermal power. In the 20th century, demand for electricity led to the consideration of geothermal power as a generating source. Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested
2128-581: A source of renewable energy. In 1960, Pacific Gas and Electric began operation of the first successful geothermal electric power station in the United States at The Geysers in California. The original turbine lasted for more than 30 years and produced 11 MW net power. An organic fluid based binary cycle power station was first demonstrated in 1967 in the Soviet Union and later introduced to
2240-526: A three-way consortium with Archway Sixth Form and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College . Other secondary schools in the locality include Maidenhill School in Stonehouse, and Thomas Keble School in Eastcombe and the private Wycliffe College in Stonehouse Tertiary education in the town is provided by South Gloucestershire and Stroud College . The University of Gloucestershire has campuses
2352-606: A turnover of £176 million, with a gross profit of £55 million and a loss on ordinary activities before tax of £4.9 million, but after charges and revaluation of investments had a "Total comprehensive (loss) for the year" of £9.5 million. It gave £416,000 to charity. By 2019, the company had 200,000 customers. A corporate restructure in 2020 created Green Britain Group Limited; the company's directors are Dale Vince and Kate Vince, and its subsidiaries include Ecotricity Limited and Forest Green Rovers Football Club Limited. In January 2021
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#17328725165012464-729: A zero-emissions airline based in Edinburgh . Stroud, Gloucestershire Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire , England. It is the main town in Stroud District . The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Sited below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills , at the meeting point of the Five Valleys , the town is noted for its steep streets. The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surrounds
2576-589: Is 19 miles (31 km) to the west. Not part of the town itself, the civil parishes of Rodborough and Cainscross form part of Stroud's urban area. Stroud acts as a commercial centre for surrounding villages and market towns including Amberley , Bisley , Bussage , Chalford , Dursley , Eastcombe , Eastington , King's Stanley , Leonard Stanley , Minchinhampton , Nailsworth , Oakridge , Painswick , Randwick , Selsley , Sheepscombe , Slad , Stonehouse , Brimscombe & Thrupp , Whiteshill and Woodchester . In March 2021 The Sunday Times named Stroud
2688-512: Is considered to be sustainable because the heat extraction is small compared to the Earth's heat content, but extraction must still be monitored to avoid local depletion. Although geothermal sites are capable of providing heat for many decades, individual wells may cool down or run out of water. The three oldest sites, at Larderello, Wairakei , and the Geysers have all reduced production from their peaks. It
2800-527: Is currently used in 26 countries, while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries. As of 2019, worldwide geothermal power capacity amounts to 15.4 gigawatts (GW), of which 23.9% (3.68 GW) are installed in the United States . International markets grew at an average annual rate of 5 percent over the three years to 2015, and global geothermal power capacity is expected to reach 14.5–17.6 GW by 2020. Based on current geologic knowledge and technology
2912-686: Is hot but dry, or where water pressure is inadequate, injected fluid can stimulate production. Developers bore two holes into a candidate site, and fracture the rock between them with explosives or high-pressure water . Then they pump water or liquefied carbon dioxide down one borehole, and it comes up the other borehole as a gas. This approach is called hot dry rock geothermal energy in Europe, or enhanced geothermal systems in North America. Much greater potential may be available from this approach than from conventional tapping of natural aquifers. Estimates of
3024-423: Is not clear whether these stations extracted energy faster than it was replenished from greater depths, or whether the aquifers supplying them are being depleted. If production is reduced, and water is reinjected, these wells could theoretically recover their full potential. Such mitigation strategies have already been implemented at some sites. The long-term sustainability of geothermal energy has been demonstrated at
3136-516: Is now possible in the petroleum industry, although it is an expensive process. The deepest research well in the world, the Kola Superdeep Borehole (KSDB-3), is 12.261 km (7.619 mi) deep. Wells drilled to depths greater than 4 km (2.5 mi) generally incur drilling costs in the tens of millions of dollars. The technological challenges are to drill wide bores at low cost and to break larger volumes of rock. Geothermal power
3248-679: Is passed by a secondary fluid with a much lower boiling point than water. This causes the secondary fluid to flash vaporize, which then drives the turbines. This is the most common type of geothermal electricity station being constructed today. Both Organic Rankine and Kalina cycles are used. The thermal efficiency of this type of station is typically about 10–13%. Binary cycle power plants have an average unit capacity of 6.3 MW, 30.4 MW at single-flash power plants, 37.4 MW at double-flash plants, and 45.4 MW at power plants working on superheated steam. The International Renewable Energy Agency has reported that 14,438 megawatts (MW) of geothermal power
3360-464: Is possible as a result of the work of the geothermal circulation systems. However, according to an estimation given by Leningrad Mining Institute in 1980s, possible cool-down will be negligible compared to natural climate fluctuations. While volcanic activity produces geothermal energy, it is also risky. As of 2022 the Puna Geothermal Venture has still not returned to full capacity after
3472-509: Is produced to the surface. Dry steam power directly uses geothermal steam of 150 °C or greater to turn turbines. As the turbine rotates it powers a generator that produces electricity and adds to the power field. Then, the steam is emitted to a condenser, where it turns back into a liquid, which then cools the water. After the water is cooled it flows down a pipe that conducts the condensate back into deep wells, where it can be reheated and produced again. At The Geysers in California, after
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3584-660: Is surrounded by the greenbelt of the Cotswolds to the north, south and east. Stroud has a significant artistic community that dates back to the early 20th century. Jasper Conran called Stroud "the Covent Garden of the Cotswolds"; the Daily Telegraph has referred to it as "the artistic equivalent of bookish Hay-on-Wye"; while the London Evening Standard likened the town to "Notting Hill with wellies". The town has
3696-506: Is the sponsor of the Ecotricity Greenbird , a land yacht that set a new world land speed record for wind-powered vehicles on 26 March 2009 on the dry Lake Ivanpah . Ecotricity has built an electric sports car called Nemesis that was built as a demonstration of what electric cars are capable of: an endurance trip from Land's End to John o' Groats is planned recharging only from electricity produced by wind power. In September 2012
3808-515: Is too diffuse (approximately 0.1 W/m on average) to be recoverable. The Earth's crust effectively acts as a thick insulating blanket which must be pierced by fluid conduits (of magma , water or other) to release the heat underneath. Electricity generation requires high-temperature resources that can only come from deep underground. The heat must be carried to the surface by fluid circulation, either through magma conduits , hot springs , hydrothermal circulation , oil wells , drilled water wells, or
3920-689: Is uniquely suited for geothermal power production. Japan has numerous hot springs that could provide fuel for geothermal power plants, but a massive investment in Japan's infrastructure would be necessary. The largest group of geothermal power plants in the world is located at The Geysers , a geothermal field in California , United States . As of 2021, five countries ( Kenya , Iceland , El Salvador , New Zealand , and Nicaragua) generate more than 15% of their electricity from geothermal sources. The following table lists these data for each country: Data are for
4032-417: The 2001 UK census , Stroud civil parish had a total population of 12,690. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. Ethnically, the population is predominantly white (98.2%). 20.6% of the population were under the age of 16 and 8.3% were aged 75 and over; the mean age of the people of the urban area was 39.5. 92.6% of residents described their health as "fair" or better, similar to the average of 92.8% for
4144-449: The 2018 lower Puna eruption . Geothermal power requires no fuel; it is therefore immune to fuel cost fluctuations. However, capital costs tend to be high. Drilling accounts for over half the costs, and exploration of deep resources entails significant risks. A typical well doublet in Nevada can support 4.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation and costs about $ 10 million to drill, with
4256-515: The Chiemgauer , in being backed on a one-for-one basis by the national currency, having a charge for redemption which is donated to local charities, and including a system of demurrage to encourage rapid circulation. A farmers' market , launched by Jasper Conran and Isabella Blow on 3 July 1999, takes place every Saturday at the Cornhill market. It was nominated for the national Farmers' Market of
4368-606: The Coventry Building Society on 1 September 2010. The building is now the headquarters of the renewable energy provider Ecotricity . Damien Hirst owns the 'Science' facility in Stroud which produces his art. In September 2009, the Stroud Pound Co-operative launched the Stroud Pound as an attempt to reinforce the local economy and encourage more local production. The currency's design follows that of
4480-731: The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) publicly discloses, the GEA estimates that only 6.9% of total global potential has been tapped so far, while the IPCC reported geothermal power potential to be in the range of 35 GW to 2 TW . Countries generating more than 15 percent of their electricity from geothermal sources include El Salvador , Kenya , the Philippines , Iceland , New Zealand , and Costa Rica . Indonesia has an estimated potential of 29 GW of geothermal energy resources,
4592-561: The Gloucester – Swindon Golden Valley Line ) was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel . Though there is much evidence of early historic settlement and transport, Stroud parish was originally part of Bisley , and only began to emerge as a distinct unit in the 13th century, taking its name from the marshy ground at the confluence of the Slad Brook and the River Frome called "La Strode", and
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4704-642: The Green Party . On 10 February 2015 Ecotricity announced that it would be donating £250,000 to the electoral fighting fund of the UK Labour Party . This decision alienated some of its customers, in particular supporters of the Green Party as they felt some Labour policies are at odds with Ecotricity's avowed green ethical stance. Ecotricity had already donated £120,000 to Labour in November 2014, including £20,000 to
4816-587: The Public Health Act 1848 , but he is mainly remembered as one of the chief architects of the Reform Act 1867 . This Act, also known as the Second Reform Act, gave the vote to every urban male householder, not just those of considerable means. This increased the electorate by 1.5 million voters. Lord John Russell is remembered in the town in the names of two streets, John Street and Russell Street, as well as
4928-596: The RSPB . In May 2014, Ecotricity rescued Evance, a manufacturer of small (5 kW) wind turbines, from administration, saving the company's 29 jobs. Branded "Brit Wind" in January 2017 they announced one million pounds worth of sales to Japan as well as sales to France, Norway, Denmark, the US and Belgium. The company has donated to several political parties that support subsidies for renewable energy. In November 2013 it donated £20,000 to
5040-590: The United Kingdom , and the United States of America . The thermal efficiency of geothermal electric stations is low, around 7–10%, because geothermal fluids are at a low temperature compared with steam from boilers. By the laws of thermodynamics this low temperature limits the efficiency of heat engines in extracting useful energy during the generation of electricity. Exhaust heat is wasted, unless it can be used directly and locally, for example in greenhouses, timber mills, and district heating. The efficiency of
5152-584: The medieval buildings at Beverston Castle ; and the outstanding Tudor houses at Newark Park and Owlpen Manor . Woodchester Mansion is a masterpiece of the Gothic Revival by local architect Benjamin Bucknall. From 1837 to 1841, Stroud's MP was Lord John Russell of the Whig party, who later became prime minister . Russell was an important politician: he was responsible for passing Acts of Parliament such as
5264-607: The 19th century, and so needed transport links. It first had a canal network in the form of the Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal , both of which survived until the early 20th century. Restoration of these canals as a leisure facility by a partnership of Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust is well under way with a multimillion-pound Lottery grant. Stroud railway station (on
5376-542: The Electric Highway. In May 2014, Ecotricity brought an interim high-court injunction against electric car manufacturer Tesla over its vehicle charging network; this was resolved in an out of court settlement . In 2014, the Ecotricity vehicle charging network had sporadic software issues to do with the addition of a new connector which left some chargers not working or not connecting to specific cars. In December 2014,
5488-580: The Kent town of Strood , which has the same etymology. Stroud is known for its involvement in the Industrial Revolution . It was a cloth town: woollen mills were powered by the small rivers which flow through the five valleys, and supplied from Cotswold sheep which grazed on the hills above. Particularly noteworthy was the production of military uniforms in the colour Stroudwater Scarlet. Stroud became known for its production of broadcloth , which
5600-612: The Larderello field in Italy since 1913, at the Wairakei field in New Zealand since 1958, and at the Geysers field in California since 1960. Geothermal power stations are similar to other steam turbine thermal power stations in that heat from a fuel source (in geothermal's case, the Earth's core) is used to heat water or another working fluid . The working fluid is then used to turn a turbine of
5712-579: The Lord John public house . In 1835 the local press referred to Lord John Russell's opportunism in choosing Stroud as his new constituency as 'trying his hand in the vales of Gotham', a reference to a 1798 poem mocking Stroud residents for opening a church organ "before it could speak". "Gotham" was a popular local town nickname and "house" name at Eastcombe Manor school in the 1940s and 1950s. The long barrow at Randwick measures about 56 by 26 metres (184 by 85 ft), and stands 4 metres (13 ft) high at
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#17328725165015824-551: The United States in 1981 , following the 1970s energy crisis and significant changes in regulatory policies. This technology allows the use of temperature resources as low as 81 °C. In 2006, a binary cycle station in Chena Hot Springs, Alaska , came on-line, producing electricity from a record low fluid temperature of 57 °C (135 °F). Geothermal electric stations have until recently been built exclusively where high-temperature geothermal resources are available near
5936-703: The Victorian landmark Hill Paul building to be demolished. After thwarting demolition, local activists formed a company and sold enough shares at £500 each to take an option on the building, which they passed on to a local developer. The building has now been restored and converted into apartments (see photo on the right). The full records of the Hill Paul building campaign are with the Gloucestershire Archivist at D9242/Accession 11679/3. The Save Stroud Hospitals Taskforce has been campaigning since spring 2006 against
6048-673: The Year in 2001 and won it in 2007 and 2013. It also won the Cotswold Life magazine award for the best farmers' market in Gloucestershire in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010. The market featured in an episode of BBC TV's The Hairy Bikers ' Food Tour of Britain in September 2009, and won the Best Food Market award at the BBC Food & Farming Awards 2010. It is certified by FARMA . In addition to
6160-460: The best place to live in the UK, citing the town's abundance of green spaces, independent spirit, and high quality of schools. Stroud was named La Strode in a document of 1221, though most early records use the spelling Stroud . The Old English name Strōd refers to a "marshy land overgrown with brushwood". Although the name is now pronounced to rhyme with "proud", its original pronunciation survives in
6272-518: The blades of one of the company's turbines were damaged. In February 2013 the go-ahead was given for Ecotricity to build its largest windfarm, a 66 megawatt, 22 turbine farm at Heckington Fen in Lincolnshire . In February 2013, Ecotricity revealed a prototype 6 kW vertical axis wind turbine called the "urbine". Ecotricity also produces solar energy, with its first "sun park" opening in 2011. In April 2016 it bought SunEdison's UK business supplying domestic solar panels. From May 2010 it became
6384-502: The car broke the UK electric land speed record reaching an average speed of 151 miles per hour (243 km/h). In July 2011, Ecotricity launched a free vehicle charging network sited around the country at 14 of the Welcome Break Motorway service areas , linking London in the south with Exeter in the west and Edinburgh in the north. The charging points were initially equipped with both a UK standard 13amp domestic socket and
6496-405: The charging network. Ecotricity has investigated supplying 100 houses with an internet-connected grid energy storage system that will take the homes off the grid at peak times. Ecotricity launched a mobile virtual network called Ecotalk in 2018; plans had been discussed by Vince in 2013. Money from customer's bills is used to buy land for nature conservation, in part through a partnership with
6608-492: The college site, which was approved in October 2016. The new proposal included "[...] new and revised traffic data and assessment, new traffic plans to keep vehicle movements away from Sparsholt village and a commitment to protect local road infrastructure.". Also, "[Ecotricity] consulted representatives of the nearby parish councils and incorporated their requests, wherever possible into the routing plans and operational controls." By
6720-515: The company agreed to buy 3 Megawatt-hours yearly from United Downs Deep Geothermal Power , the UK first geothermal plant. In summer 2021, Ecotricity made a bid to take over Good Energy , where it already owned 27% of the shares, which was rejected. In April 2022, Dale Vince stated an intention to sell the company. It was reported that the company planned to build a further 2,500MW of renewable energy generation, which would require investment of some £2 billion. In May 2023, Asif Rehmanwala
6832-510: The company still does today, using the name Nexgen. Ecotricity started generation with a 40-metre turbine in 1996, which at the time was the largest in the country. In 2007, Vince ran an advertisement on the back page of The Guardian newspaper inviting Richard Branson to his house to discuss solutions to climate change over a carbon-free breakfast. The ad ran the day after Branson appeared on TV with American former vice president Al Gore , who had managed to persuade Branson that climate change
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#17328725165016944-411: The company with peak-shaving . In May 2018 it was announced that Ecotricity would start building a Virtual power plant to more efficiently use and manage the electricity usage. In October 2020, Vince announced the company would make lab grown diamonds using carbon dioxide captured from the air, water and power from their own green supply. In July 2023, Dale Vince announced the launch of Ecojet ,
7056-485: The company, which has around 200,000 domestic and business customers. Ecotricity's initiatives included the creation of one of Britain's first electric vehicle charging networks, which was sold to Gridserve in 2021. Ecotricity was started by Dale Vince in 1995 as Renewable Energy Company Limited, with a single wind turbine he had used to power an old army truck in which he lived on a hill near Stroud. Vince later went on to build commercial wind-monitoring equipment, which
7168-579: The creation of 100 GW of electrical generating capacity by 2050 in the United States alone. The MIT report estimated that over 200 × 10 TJ (200 ZJ; 5.6 × 10 TWh) would be extractable, with the potential to increase this to over 2,000 ZJ with technology improvements – sufficient to provide all the world's present energy needs for several millennia . At present, geothermal wells are rarely more than 3 km (1.9 mi) deep. Upper estimates of geothermal resources assume wells as deep as 10 km (6.2 mi). Drilling near this depth
7280-405: The economic viability of enhanced geothermal systems in energy systems with a large share of variable renewable energy sources. Geothermal power is highly scalable: a small power station can supply a rural village, though initial capital costs can be high. The most developed geothermal field is the Geysers in California. In 2008, this field supported 15 stations, all owned by Calpine , with
7392-532: The electricity generating potential of geothermal energy vary from 35 to 2000 GW depending on the scale of investments. This does not include non-electric heat recovered by co-generation, geothermal heat pumps and other direct use. A 2006 report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that included the potential of enhanced geothermal systems estimated that investing US$ 1 billion in research and development over 15 years would allow
7504-412: The end of 2007." In July 2009, Ecotricity started legal proceedings against French power company EDF Energy for the alleged misuse of the green Union Flag logo, used to promote EDF's Team Green Britain campaign. Ecotricity had previously used a green Union flag in its own advertising and claimed confused customers had contacted it to ask why Ecotricity was co-operating with EDF. In January 2012, it
7616-789: The exhaust. Geothermal stations can also inject these gases back into the earth as a form of carbon capture and storage, such as in New Zealand and in the CarbFix project in Iceland. Other stations like the Kızıldere geothermal power plant , exhibit the capability to utilize geothermal fluids to process carbon dioxide gas into dry ice at two nearby plants resulting in very little environmental impact. In addition to dissolved gases, hot water from geothermal sources may hold in solution trace amounts of toxic chemicals, such as mercury , arsenic , boron , antimony , and salt. These chemicals come out of solution as
7728-529: The farmers' market there is a smaller market held (Fri & Sat) in The Shambles, an area adjacent to the steep High Street. John Wesley preached from a butcher's block in The Shambles on 26 June 1742. The Old Town Hall is one of the oldest existing buildings in Stroud: originally referred to as the market house, it was built in 1596 and is still in occasional use today. "There was a school at Stroud in 1576 but
7840-400: The first 30 years of power production, the steam supply had depleted and generation was substantially reduced. To restore some of the former capacity, supplemental water injection was developed during the 1990s and 2000s, including utilization of effluent from nearby municipal sewage treatment facilities. Flash steam stations pull deep, high-pressure hot water into lower-pressure tanks and use
7952-641: The first UK company to supply eco-friendly gas, produced in the Netherlands by anaerobic digestion of sugar beet waste and in 2015 it was planning to have its own digesters fed by locally sourced grass from marginal land of grade 3 or poorer by 2017. The first of these would have produced 78.8 GWh a year from 75,000t of grass and forage rye silage. In August 2015, Ecotricity announced plans to build an anaerobic digester at Sparsholt College in Hampshire that would take grasscuttings from local farms and supply
8064-517: The first geothermal power generator on 4 July 1904 in Larderello, Italy . It successfully lit four light bulbs. Later, in 1911, the world's first commercial geothermal power station was built there. Experimental generators were built in Beppu, Japan and the Geysers, California , in the 1920s, but Italy was the world's only industrial producer of geothermal electricity until 1958. In 1958, New Zealand became
8176-515: The founding of Marling School in 1889 and Stroud High School which was founded in 1904 as the Girls' Endowed School. They continued to be grammar schools long after the comprehensive school became the norm in secondary education , and their future was the subject of long-running controversy. The two schools previously shared a mixed sixth form , called the Downfield Sixth Form, which worked in
8288-425: The global average capacity factor was 74.5% in 2008, according to the IPCC . The Earth's heat content is about 1 × 10 TJ (2.8 × 10 TWh) . This heat naturally flows to the surface by conduction at a rate of 44.2 TW and is replenished by radioactive decay at a rate of 30 TW. These power rates are more than double humanity's current energy consumption from primary sources, but most of this power
8400-411: The grounds of the house at Brown's Hill, one mile north of Stroud, suggesting the existence of a Roman villa. Remains of another Roman villa have been found in the parish of Painswick, on a farm called Highfield, about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 metres) northwest of the town. Walls were found, crossing one another at right angles; also many flue tiles, and some Roman coins. It was opened some years ago in
8512-407: The hot water is transformed into steam. The steam is then separated from the water and used to power a turbine/generator. Any leftover water and condensed steam may be injected back into the reservoir, making this a potentially sustainable resource. Binary cycle power stations are the most recent development, and can accept fluid temperatures as low as 57 °C. The moderately hot geothermal water
8624-491: The largest in the world; in 2017, its installed capacity was 1.8 GW. Geothermal power is considered to be a sustainable , renewable source of energy because the heat extraction is small compared with the Earth's heat content . The greenhouse gas emissions of geothermal electric stations average 45 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of electricity, or less than 5% of those of conventional coal-fired plants. As
8736-554: The local group in Stroud which was trying (unsuccessfully) to unseat Neil Carmichael , an opponent of wind farms in Gloucestershire. In the six months before the 2015 general election Ecotricity donated a total of £380,000 to Labour. The day after the election of 7 May 2015 the company donated £50,000 to the Liberal Democrats , including £20,000 to the group in the Kingston upon Thames constituency which had been lost by Ed Davey ,
8848-472: The main displays there is a modern extension which includes a purpose-built art gallery showing a varied programme of exhibitions. Behind this is a contemporary walled garden. The Redlers industrial estate is the site of the original Dudbridge Mills, beside the River Frome. From the mid-18th century onwards it housed the three mills of Daniel Chance: one corn, one gig and a dyehouse with eight drying racks. It
8960-507: The massive Roman invasion on Minchinhampton Common . Survivors eventually fled to the north. Some earthworks, known as 'the Bulwarks', and the Longstone of Minchinhampton are evidence of these ancient fortifications. Woodchester Roman Villa is one of many Roman villas discovered in Gloucestershire and was occupied between the early 2nd and late 4th centuries AD. There is now nothing visible of
9072-438: The network covered 90% of the UK's motorway service stations, with sites also at Land's End and John o' Groats . By December 2015 it had 6,500 members using it once a week or more, and the network, which had hitherto been free to use, began to require payment. From 11 July 2016, a 20-minute fast-charge cost £5, later changed to £6 for 30 minutes, but charges remained free for customers of Ecotricity. Following feedback from users,
9184-422: The north-east end. Excavations in 1883 found a round barrow opening to the north-east, from which there was access to a simple square chamber of one cell containing disarticulated human remains. Traces of the chamber can still be seen, although it is not accessible. Additional burials were found adjacent to the barrow on the south-west side. The Iron Age tribesmen of Gloucestershire made their final stand against
9296-437: The pro-renewables Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change . Ecotricity donated £20,000 to Keir Starmer 's 2020 Labour Party leadership election campaign. At the end of 2017 Ecotricity was granted planning permission to build one of the UK's first grid scale battery storage projects on its Alveston site. The 10 megawatt project is intended to share the grid connection with the three new windmills there, providing
9408-745: The publicly owned electricity sector in India announced a plan to develop the country's first geothermal power facility in the landlocked state of Chhattisgarh . Geothermal power in Canada has high potential due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire . The region of greatest potential is the Canadian Cordillera , stretching from British Columbia to the Yukon , where estimates of generating output have ranged from 1,550 MW to 5,000 MW. The geography of Japan
9520-420: The resulting flashed steam to drive turbines. They require fluid temperatures of at least 180 °C, usually more. This is the most common type of station in operation today. Flash steam plants use geothermal reservoirs of water with temperatures greater than 360 °F (182 °C). The hot water flows up through wells in the ground under its own pressure. As it flows upward, the pressure decreases and some of
9632-559: The resulting six megawatts of gas to the grid with the overall aim of training students in the technology. This joined the first announced in Gloucestershire in April and was followed by a third three megawatt plant announced in August in Somerset . On 25 April 2016, planning permission for the site at Sparsholt College was refused. In July 2016, a new application was made to build the facility at
9744-709: The schoolmaster, who did not have a licence and failed to teach the catechism, was then dismissed..." There are six primary schools in the town: Schools in surrounding areas include Further schools include Amberley Parochial School, Nailsworth School and Woodchester School. There are three secondary schools in Stroud. Archway School is a County Council maintained comprehensive school offering an 11-to-18 education for children in Stroud, Rodborough and Cainscross. There are also two state-funded selective schools, Marling School and Stroud High School . These former grant-maintained and foundation schools became academies in 2011. Both schools can trace their history back to
9856-404: The second major industrial producer of geothermal electricity when its Wairakei station was commissioned. Wairakei was the first station to use flash steam technology. Over the past 60 years, net fluid production has been in excess of 2.5km . Subsidence at Wairakei-Tauhara has been an issue in a number of formal hearings related to environmental consents for expanded development of the system as
9968-539: The service in 2008 and up to £25,000 for 2009. In November 2008 it was confirmed that Stroud has become only the second place in Britain to save one of its Post Offices. In September 2010 the BNP scrapped plans to move their national media centre to Stroud after protests by local residents. In February 2012 NHS managers agreed to halt plans for Stroud General Hospital to be run by a social enterprise after local residents mounted
10080-520: The start of 2019 the company had not built any biogas plants but still intended to do so. Ecotricity offers the Feed-in Tariff as a voluntary licensee under the name "Microtricity", offering payments to people who generate and export electricity from low-carbon sources such as solar panels. As of October 2024, Ecotricity does not offer a Smart Export Guarantee tariff to small low-carbon generators such as domestic solar panel systems. Ecotricity
10192-470: The start of 2019, Ecotricity had over 300 charging points. In early 2021, Ecotricity and GRIDSERVE announced a partnership which would see the network expanded and contactless payment facilities added. Funding for the programme came from Hitachi Capital (UK), also a shareholder in GRIDSERVE. In mid 2021, it was announced that GRIDSERVE had purchased the remaining stake from Ecotricity, taking full ownership of
10304-611: The surface. The development of binary cycle power plants and improvements in drilling and extraction technology may enable enhanced geothermal systems over a much greater geographical range. Demonstration projects are operational in Landau-Pfalz , Germany, and Soultz-sous-Forêts , France, while an earlier effort in Basel , Switzerland was shut down after it triggered earthquakes. Other demonstration projects are under construction in Australia ,
10416-493: The system does not affect operational costs as it would for a coal or other fossil fuel plant, but it does factor into the viability of the station. In order to produce more energy than the pumps consume, electricity generation requires high-temperature geothermal fields and specialized heat cycles. Because geothermal power does not rely on variable sources of energy, unlike, for example, wind or solar, its capacity factor can be quite large – up to 96% has been demonstrated. However
10528-590: The town centre. Stroud High Street Action Group, with some rooftop protests and a high court judgement, demonstrated against this. The restored buildings are now a feature of the High Street. After a short occupation a compromise was reached in the demolition of buildings in Cornhill with many being saved, including one identified as a medieval house. This campaign led to the formation of the Stroud Preservation Trust which has been instrumental in saving many of
10640-456: The town of Stroud. The narrowest definition is the parish, which had a population of 13,259 in 2011 and only includes the town centre and inner suburban areas. The urban subdivision had a population of 32,670 and includes many suburbs often considered part of the town. The urban area, which includes Stonehouse that has a largely separate identity, and other surrounding villages had a population of 60,155. Despite its extensive urban area, Stroud
10752-531: The town's oldest buildings such as Withey's house, the Brunel Goods Shed and the Hill Paul building. In 1989 Stroud District Council tried to fell at midnight thirteen trees in Stratford Park near the road, which attracted national and international attention. Local Save The Trees campaigners had got in position first and prevented the felling, which was intended to allow road-widening. Campaigners occupied
10864-517: The town, and the Cotswold Way path passes by it to the west. It lies 10 miles (16 km) south of the city of Gloucester , 14 miles (23 km) south-southwest of Cheltenham , 13 miles (21 km) west-northwest of Cirencester and 26 miles (42 km) north-east of the city of Bristol . London is 91 miles (146 km) east-southeast of Stroud and the Welsh border at Whitebrook , Monmouthshire ,
10976-468: The trees for the next six weeks while, with the help of Friends of the Earth, introducing the County Surveyor to 'traffic calming' which he agreed to adopt instead of changing the road alignment. During the next five years County Surveyors' figures showed a fifty per cent decrease in accidents along this part of Stratford Road. The trees still survive. In 2000 Stroud District Council gave permission for
11088-697: The villa above ground and the site is occupied by a churchyard. The villa's most famous feature is the Orpheus mosaic, the second largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most intricate. It dates to c. 325 CE and was re-discovered by Gloucestershire-born antiquarian Samuel Lysons in 1793. It has been uncovered seven times since 1880, the last time in 1973, but there are no plans to reveal it again. It depicts Orpheus charming all forms of life with his lyre and has been praised for its accuracy and beauty. In 1979, several portions of Roman tessellated pavement, Roman tiles, coins, pottery, etc. were discovered in
11200-511: The water cools, and can cause environmental damage if released. The modern practice of injecting geothermal fluids back into the Earth to stimulate production has the side benefit of reducing this environmental risk. Station construction can adversely affect land stability. Subsidence has occurred in the Wairakei field in New Zealand. Enhanced geothermal systems can trigger earthquakes due to water injection. The project in Basel , Switzerland
11312-678: The wider district. The average household size was 2.4. Of those aged 16–74, 24.5% had no academic qualifications, lower than the national average of 28.9%. Of those aged 16–74, 2.6% were unemployed and 28.4% were economically inactive. At the 2011 census, 107,026 people were described as white British, plus 591 being from the Irish Republic. 2,752 were white other, 364 Caribbean, 129 African, 429 Asian and 300 other Asian, all from mixed multiple ethnic groups. Of these, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh accounted for 258 people. Chinese and Arab people accounted for 226 people. There are two definitions for
11424-541: The year 2021. Data are sourced from the EIA . Only includes countries with more than 0.01 TWh of generation. Links for each location go to the relevant geothermal power page, when available. Existing geothermal electric stations, that fall within the 50th percentile of all total life cycle emissions studies reviewed by the IPCC , produce on average 45 kg of CO 2 equivalent emissions per megawatt-hour of generated electricity (kg CO 2 eq/ MW·h ). For comparison,
11536-545: Was acquired in 1794 by John Apperley, whose family used the site for wool- and cloth-making for the next 140 years. In 1801 an industrial accident killed a young worker. Stroud citizens have a history of protest going back to the Stroudwater Riots of 1825. In the late 1970s Stroud Campaign Against The Ringroad prevented Gloucestershire County Council's attempt to introduce new traffic plans. A few years later Stroud District Council tried to demolish 18th-century buildings in
11648-411: Was an issue. The ad included Vince's personal mobile phone number. Ecotricity was a winner in the 2007 Ashden Awards for sustainable energy. The awards congratulated Ecotricity for its environmental contribution, saying: "The company's turbines are delivering 46 GW·h/yr of renewable electricity and avoiding around 46,000 tonnes of CO 2 emissions a year. The installed capacity is expected to double by
11760-551: Was announced that Ecotricity has invested in the development of Searaser pump-to-shore wave energy machines, and in June said they were to be deployed in the autumn of that year. In October 2014, Ecotricity and marine consultants DNV GL were moving from laboratory trials to sea trials. In 2013, Ecotricity's electricity supply became 100% renewable, rather than a mix. In October 2014, it was announced that Ecotricity had partnered with Skanska to build and finance new turbines, which added
11872-602: Was appointed as the CEO of Ecotricity and the Green Britain Group . In December 2023 Ecotricity donated £1 million to the UK Labour Party. In October 2024, Ecotricity Group Limited took a controlling stake in regional airline Ecojet which was previously held by Dale Vince . Before August 2013, Ecotricity ran a mix of fuels. Ecotricity's proportion of renewable energy rose from 24.1% in 2007 to 51.1% in 2011 (compared with
11984-408: Was first recorded in 1221. The church was built by 1279, and it was assigned parochial rights by the rectors of Bisley in 1304, often cited as the date of Stroud's foundation. Historic buildings and places of interest in the area include the neolithic long barrows at Uley , Selsley Common and Nympsfield to the west; Roman era remains at Frocester , West Hill near Uley, and Woodchester ;
12096-466: Was founded in 1999 to link the past and present of textiles in the Five Valleys and to manage the opening of several mills in which historic textile machinery, including a working waterwheel, has been restored and is demonstrated. The Trust has produced a DVD, Rivers of Cloth , using archive film and interviews which was due to be released in early 2011 and a photographic survey of surviving woollen mills
12208-541: Was online worldwide at the end of 2020, generating 94,949 GWh of electricity. In theory, the world's geothermal resources are sufficient to supply humans with energy. However, only a tiny fraction of the world's geothermal resources can at present be explored on a profitable basis. Al Gore said in The Climate Project Asia Pacific Summit that Indonesia could become a super power country in electricity production from geothermal energy. In 2013
12320-717: Was suspended because more than 10,000 seismic events measuring up to 3.4 on the Richter Scale occurred over the first 6 days of water injection. The risk of geothermal drilling leading to uplift has been experienced in Staufen im Breisgau . Geothermal has minimal land and freshwater requirements. Geothermal stations use 404 square meters per GW·h versus 3,632 and 1,335 square meters for coal facilities and wind farms respectively. They use 20 litres of freshwater per MW·h versus over 1000 litres per MW·h for nuclear, coal, or oil. Local climate cooling
12432-466: Was undertaken for a book, Wool and Water , published in 2012. The Subscription Rooms at the centre of the town centre provide a venue for a variety of entertainment. There is also a small theatre, the Cotswold Playhouse, which is home to the amateur Cotswold Players; it occasionally hosts visiting professional companies. On the fringes of the town are Stratford Park , originally the park of
12544-484: Was widely known as "Stroud cloth" and traded around the world. The area became home to a sizable Huguenot community in the 17th century, fleeing from persecution in Catholic France, followed by a significant Jewish presence in the 19th century, linked to the tailoring and cloth industries. There were two synagogues by 1889, but these became disused by around 1908. Stroud was an industrial and trading location in
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