Geothermal energy is gaining popularity worldwide and in 2008, installed capacity accounts for 39,000 MW of heat and electricity . The two most common applications of the technology are power plants and heat pumps.

A geothermal reservoir is created when heat from the earth’s core heats water in the earth’s crust which is trapped. Drilling can access this hot water and convert this in to electricity in a geothermal power station.

Geothermal heat pumps do not convert heat into electricity; rather they pump liquid through loops of pipes within 30-100ft of the earth’s surface. They are versatile and can pump heat into a home in winter and remove heat in the summer, a highly energy efficient method of heating and cooling.

Geothermal energy has been signalled for strong growth over the coming years with EU directive qualification and subsidy changes across Europe, most notably in France and Germany. Installation training will be widespread across Europe and is set to be an employment driver in the years to come.

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