news

24 January 2021

Decades of energy experience has come together in a “gamechanging” new business to decarbonise the UK’s heat supply by deep geothermal energy.

CeraPhi Energy’s mission is to unlock heat from deep underground to deliver sustainable, continuous and totally green 24/7 baseload energy is the missing renewable source needed to reach net zero targets, it says.

It will use its patented technology, innovation and techniques to fill the gap between wind, solar and other renewable energy production to complete the sustainable energy jigsaw.

The first UK fully integrated geothermal delivery company is targeting the UK, Europe and the US from its Great Yarmouth headquarters. And CeraPhi is keen to speak to oil and gas businesses looking to shift their knowledge and experience into “the green space” whereby CeraPhi technology incorporate repurposing depleted Oil and Gas wells which can help the industry moves through transition.

CEO Karl Farrow, with 30 years of energy industry experience, said the “highly skilled, talented and focused” CeraPhi Energy team is solving “a huge challenge” to deliver an energy source that is “non-interruptible and virtually infinite once it is tapped.

“Geothermal is cost-effective, secure and independent, off-grid and on-grid. It is never dependent on weather or influenced by external energy prices so has a key role in the energy transition to achieve zero carbon baseload energy for energy, heat and cooling and other essential purposes,” he said.

“Six billion years of renewable energy right under our feet. By solving geothermal, Ceraphi is solving energy.”

“Our technology, innovation and best practices are solving the challenge of unlocking energy beneath our feet and can be deployed anywhere.”

CeraPhi Energy’s focus is on heat transfer and the geothermal ‘cascade’. Its proprietary CeraPhiWell™ draws heat from the ground to create efficient off-grid energy solutions like heating and cooling for cities and districts, replacing coal and gas-fired electrical production.”

The cascade can also source hydrogen production, power distribution, desalination, battery charging, EV charging networks, food drying and green house agriculture.

CeraPhi Energy’s pipeline of projects is developing in the UK and abroad in Q1 as investment is secured. About 30percent of its projects will be in the UK and others in mainland Europe, the Caribbean, the US and Afirca.

Farrow said: “We are targeting the European market. We believe that the US where there are so many onshore wells is going to be one of our bigger markets.

“We will be announcing individual projects in the next few weeks.”

The CeraPhi Energy team has already doubled to >10 in its first four months. Based at its Great Yarmouth, Norfolk headquarters, it forecasts a base team of 30, as well as project and delivery teams this year, with a staff of 200 people by the end of year two.

Central to its solutions is its patented and trademarked CeraPhiWell™, a closed loop vertical long-life cost-effective technology to extend well life and optimise geothermal production.

One of its USPs is reusing and repurposing end-of-life wells. CeraPhi Energy will use its technology to draw heat up from old wells, which will then be plugged, abandoned and decommissioned as part of the process.

CeraPhi Energy’s operational technology is coordinated by the company’s proprietary process management technology CeraPhiPro, which de-risks and offers proven delivery of the geothermal development process.

The CeraPhi Energy management team combines more than 130 years’ experience in oil and gas engineering, subsurface modelling and topside expertise, in-house risk mitigation and management, and both open and close system capabilities.

Farrow said: “Our operational excellence encompasses in-house risk mitigation engineering and management, specialist subsurface and topside modelling, innovative novel approach patented system, proprietary innovation and technology.

Other founders are Gary Williams, with 40 years’ energy experience, is driving business operations and strategy as Chief Operating Officer; Iain Pittman Chief Technology Officer, also with 30 years’ experience in subsurface project management and well engineering; Per Gwalter, Chief Projects Officer who has spent three decades in the geothermal space in drilling project management and engineering; and Martin Hindicky, Chief Business Officer who has ten years in business economics and project development.

The CeraPhi Energy advisory board includes: Retired BP America’s president Chris Sladen OBE/ MBE, who brings 40 years’ experience to the team; Celia Anderson, who has worked in energy for two decades, and leads the Offshore Wind Industry Council Investment in Talent Group for Renewable UK, coordinates offshore wind industry-funded STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Coordination Hub, founded Skills for Energy in the east of England and previously worked for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); energy expert Neil Geary, who has 40 years’ experience in corporate affairs for BP and across the industry; and geothermal expert Roy Baria, pioneer of EGS engineered geothermal systems and Cornwall’s Eden Project.

Leading the business’ HSEQ is Nigel Cheshire, who has 30 years’ global corporate HSE leadership.