Data for: A Comparative Case Study of Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Interacting Imaginaries of Place and Energy in Renewable Energy Transitions

<h3>Project Overview</h3>
This data is part of a multiple case study of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), a form of geothermal energy used for heating and power generation. Examining two EGS sites in Ithaca, NY, USA, and Redruth, UK, this project used ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in deep geothermal projects. Participants included geothermal experts (researchers, developers, and communication professionals) and members of the host communities. The interviews assessed participants' feelings towards deep geothermal, their visions of energy futures, and how their interpretations of geothermal energy intersected with the meanings and attachments participants held towards place. The data consists of de-identified transcripts of the stakeholder interviews and observational memos from ethnographic fieldwork.</p>
<h3>Case Study Locations</h3>
The two sites for this case study are the Cornell Earth Source Heat (ESH) Project in Ithaca, New York and the United Downs Deep Geothermal Project (UDDGP) in Redruth, UK (labeled as “US”/”UK” in the project materials). ESH aims to provide district heating to Cornell University’s Ithaca campus and aid in making the campus carbon neutral by 2035. The project is located on campus land within the Town of Ithaca. Ithaca, NY is a college town of approximately 30,000 people located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. UDDGP is being developed by Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL), with the aim of providing 10MW of electricity and 55MW of local heating. The project is located in an industrial park near the town of Redruth (15,453) and the village of Carharrack (1,300) in the Duchy of Cornwall.</p>