ENGINE Workshop 7, Leiden, 8 November 2007
Analysis of Local Environmental Impacts through
Geothermal Power Generation
A case study how to assess environmental risks in Germany
Stephanie Frick, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam
Christiane Lohse, Federal Environment Agency of Germany
Institute for Energy and Environment (IE)
Federal Environment Agency of Germany (UBA)
Introduction

The use of all energy carriers is related to
environmental impacts

These environmental impacts need to be analysed at
the beginning of the market introduction

The Federal Environment Agency of Germany (UBA)
has commissioned a study
Approach of the study
Introduction
Subsurface systems
1
Surface systems
Status of geothermal power production
Plant-specific conditions
2
Legal conditions
Environmental Analysis and Evaluation
• Background
3 Life Cycle Assessment
• Methodology
4
Local impact assessment
• Results
• Conclusions
5
Conclusions and advices
Approach of the study
Subsurface systems
1
Surface systems
Status of geothermal power production
Plant-specific conditions
2
Legal conditions
Environmental Analysis and Evaluation
• Background
3 Life Cycle Assessment
• Methodology
4
Local impact assessment
• Results
• Conclusions
5
Conclusions and advices
Background
North German Basin

Using deep geothermal
reservoirs is a fairly new
technology in Germany

Only fragmentary experience
concerning environmental
impacts through geothermal
energy use

Experiences from the use of
high enthalpy fields not or only
restrictedly adaptive
Rostock
Hamburg
Berlin
Hannover
Leipzig
Dresden
Köln
Frankfurt
South German
Molasse Basin
Stuttgart
München
Upper Rhine Graben
regions with hydrogeothermal resources
Approach of the study
Subsurface systems
1
Surface systems
Status of geothermal power production
Plant-specific conditions
2
Legal conditions
Environmental Analysis and Evaluation
• Background
3 Life Cycle Assessment
• Methodology
4
Local impact assessment
• Results
• Conclusions
5
Conclusions and advices
Methodology
Identification of environmental impacts
drilling &
construction
plant operation
deconstruction
Methodology

Probability of
impact appearance

Scope of impact

Duration of impact

Prevention
measures

Environmental
effects

Mitigation
measures
Identification of environmental impacts
Analysis of environmental impacts and effects

…
Methodology
Identification of environmental impacts
Analysis of environmental impacts and effects
Evaluation regarding legal frame conditions

Analysis of existing
legal regulations
and directives

Evaluation of their
applicability

Evaluation of the
expected
environmental
effects

Identification of
environmental risks
Methodology
Example: noise during drilling operations
effects
effects
YES
YES
NO
effects
effects
NO
effects
YES
YES
NO
NO
effects
Methodology
 Analysis of appearance probability
Example: noise during drilling operations
Analysis of site- and plant-specific
conditions
effects
effects
YES
YES
NO
effects
effects
NO
effects
YES
YES
NO
NO
effects
Methodology
 Analysis of appearance probability
Example: noise during drilling operations
Analysis of site- and plant-specific
conditions
 Analysis of technical prevention
measures
Analysis of the state-of-the-art
effects
effects
YES
YES
NO
effects
effects
NO
effects
YES
YES
NO
NO
effects
Methodology
 Analysis of appearance probability
Example: noise during drilling operations
Analysis of site- and plant-specific
conditions
 Analysis of technical prevention
measures
Analysis of the state-of-the-art
 Analysis of regulations/ directives
effects
effects
YES
YES
NO
effects
effects
NO
effects
YES
YES
NO
NO
effects
Methodology
 Analysis of appearance probability
Analysis of site- and plant-specific
conditions
Example: noise during drilling operations
 Analysis of technical prevention
measures
Analysis of the state-of-the-art
 Analysis of regulations/ directives
effects
effects
effects
 Analysis and evaluation of expected
YES
YES
YES
environmental
effectsNO
NO
impact, duration, mitigation measures, …
effects
effects
YES
NO
NO
effects
Methodology
 Analysis of appearance probability
Analysis of site- and plant-specific
conditions
Example: noise during drilling operations
 Analysis of technical prevention
measures
Analysis of the state-of-the-art
 Analysis of regulations/ directives
effects
effects
effects
 Analysis and evaluation of expected
YES
YES
YES
environmental
effectsNO
NO
impact, duration, mitigation measures, …
 Analysis and evaluation of the
existing legal regulations
effects
effects
YES
NO
NO
effects
Approach of the study
Subsurface systems
1
Surface systems
Status of geothermal power production
Plant-specific conditions
2
Legal conditions
Environmental Analysis and Evaluation
• Background
3 Life Cycle Assessment
• Methodology
4
Local impact assessment
• Results
• Conclusions
5
Conclusions and advices
Störfall
2
3
3
5
5
5
5
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
Legend
Störfall
Failure
1
2
74 7
4
8
1
Climate
Mikroklima
Underground
Untergrund/Gestein
Ground
Boden
Formation Water
Tiefenwasser
Grundwasser
Groundwater
Oberflächenwasser
Surface Water
Pflanzen/Biotope
Plants
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
Air
Luft
Tier
Animals
9
9
9
Landscape
Landschaft/Erhol.raum
9
9
9 Lokale
Umwelteffekte
Mensch
Human
Landscape
Landschaft/Erhol.raum
Climate
Mikroklima
Air
Luft
Untergrund/Gestein
Underground
Boden
Ground
Tiefenwasser
Formation Water
Grundwasser
Groundwater
1
Oberflächenwasser
Surface Water
Tier
Animals
1
Pflanzen/Biotope
Plants
Mensch
Human
Failure Normal
Normalbetrieb
operation
Normal
operation
Störfall
Results (subsurface construction)
5
5
5
5
Lokale Umwelteffekte
- Bau untertage -
1 1
2 2
4
- BauUmwelteffekte
untertage Lokale
- Bau untertage 1
11 Bodenerschütterung
Gesetzgebung
Ausreichende
Stofflicher
Eintrag
12
122
112Ground
Bodenerschütterung
motion
12
3
Hydraulischer
Kurzschluss
23
2 Material
Stofflicher
Eintrag
emissions
Unzureichende Gesetzgebung
Umwelteffekte
Lokale
4
Thermischer
Eintrag
34
3 Hydraulic
Hydraulischer
Kurzschluss
short-circuit
untertage
Bau
5
Bohrlochausbruch
(Blow-Out)
45
emissions
4 Thermal
Thermischer
Eintrag
6
Wasserbedarf
blow-out (Blow-Out)
56
5 Borehole
Bohrlochausbruch
Bodenerschütterung
1
1
Gesetzgebung
Relevante
7
7
Aushub
von Bodenmaterial/
6
Water
demand
6 Stofflicher
Wasserbedarf
22
Eintrag
x.xBodenverdichtung
Soil
excavation/
7
7 Hydraulischer
Aushub
von Kurzschluss
Bodenmaterial/
33
BBergG
8
8
Lärmwirkung
Soil
compaction
x.xBodenverdichtung
44
Eintrag
Thermischer
BBergG
9
9
Anfall
von
Restund Abfallstoffen
Noise
emissions
8
55
(Blow-Out)
8 Bohrlochausbruch
Lärmwirkung
BBergG
10
6
Flächeninanspruchnahme
Waste
accumulation/disposal
961
9 Wasserbedarf
Anfall von
Rest- und Abfallstoffen
BBergG
7
von
Aushub
7
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Land
use Bodenmaterial/
10
1 BBergG
Flächeninanspruchnahme
x.xBodenverdichtung
BBergG
11
Visual
impact
1
Visuelle
Beeinträchtiung
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
88 Lärmwirkung
Induced
microseismicitiy
12
1 BBergG
Induzierung
mikroseismischer Ereig
11
Visuelle
Beeinträchtiung
99 Anfall
von Rest- und Abfallstoffen
12
1 Flächeninanspruchnahme
Induzierung mikroseismischer Ereig
10
1
BBergG, TA-Lärm
alle Systeme
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BBergG
11
Beeinträchtiung
1 Visuelle
untertägig
geschlossene
Systeme
alle Systeme
ggf. BNatSchG,
BBergG,
ROG,
12
Ereignisse
mikroseismischer
1 Induzierung
BundeswaldG
untertägig geschlossene Systeme
11 Bodenerschütterung
22 Stofflicher Eintrag
6 6
33 Hydraulischer Kurzschluss
12 12
7 7
7
44 Thermischer Eintrag
8 8
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
55 Bohrlochausbruch (Blow-Out)
9
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
66 Wasserbedarf
10 10 10
10
10
3 11
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
11
11
77 Aushub von Bodenmaterial/
5 5
5 5
12
x.xBodenverdichtung 12
6 6 6 6 6
6
6
88 Lärmwirkung
2
2
99 Anfall von Rest- und Abfallstoffen
3 3
10
1 Flächeninanspruchnahme
Legislation
Unsufficient Legislation
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5 Sufficient
5
5
5
11
1 Visuelle Beeinträchtiung
ROG
12
Ereignisse
1 Induzierung
BBergG
all
systems
Systeme
Regardingmikroseismischer
legeslation
BBergGalle
- Bundesberggesetz;
TA-Lärm - Technisch
Local environmental impacts
abbriveations
see
section
4.2
subsurface
closed
systems
Raumordnungsgesetz;
BNatSchG
–Systeme
Bundesnatursc
geschlossene
untertägig
(construction)
BBergG - Bundesberggesetz; TA-Lärm
- Technisch
9 9
9
BBergG
(operating
plan)
1
Material
emission
(drilling
mud)
alle Systeme
subsurface
open
systems
1
Systeme
untertägig offene
Raumordnungsgesetz;
BNatSchG
– Bundesnatursc
BBergG (operating
plan)Systeme
22 Material emission (stimulation fluid)
geschlossene
untertägig
Aquifer-systems
Aquifer-Konzepte
12
BBergG - Bundesberggesetz; TA-Lärm - Technisch Anleitu
plan)
33 Material emission (miscellenaous) 12 12 BBergG (operating
HDR-systems
HDR-Konzepte
Raumordnungsgesetz; BNatSchG – Bundesnaturschutzge
not
relevant
emission
44 Thermal
Ausreichende
Gesetzgebung
Unzureichende
Gesetzgebung
Sufficient
legal
regulations
Unsufficient legal regulations / knowledge
55 Hydraulic short-circuit
(technical
directive)
- Technisch Anleitung zum Schutz gegen Lärm; ROG –
TA-Lärm
Bundesberggesetz;
BBergG - BBergG
– Bundesnaturschutzgesetz; BundeswaldG - Bundeswaldgesetz
BNatSchGdirective)
Raumordnungsgesetz;
66 Blow-out
BBergG (technical
Lokale Umwelteffekte
WHG
77 Water use - Bau untertage 8
8
4
8
8
11
Relevante Gesetzgebung
5
5
5
Stö
Störfall
5
9
Results (subsurface operation)
9
9
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
9
9
9
12
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
12
12 12
Lokale Umwelteffekte
Failure
Störfall
Failure
operation
Normal operation
Normalbetrieb
Normal
1
1 1
2 2 22
3 4
3
7 7 4
8
8 5* 5*8
7*
12 7*
12 7*
1
2
3
6
1
2
3
5
6
1
2
3
5
6
8
6
7
8
1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
45 5 4
6 6
6
1 1
2 2
3 3
4
4
6
Sufficient Legislation
Ausreichende
Gesetzgebung
Sufficient legal
regulations
Landscape
Landschaft/Erhol.raum
Untergrund/Gestein
Underground
Tiefenwasser
Formation Water
Climate
Mikroklima
Boden
Ground
Lokale Umwelteffekte
- Bau untertage Grundwasser
Groundwater
Oberflächenwasser
Surface Water
Pflanzen/Biotope
Plants
Tier
Animals
Mensch
Human
Landschaft/Erhol.raum
Landscape
untertage - Betrieb
Gesetzgebung
Unzureichende
Lokale Umwelteffekte
- Bau untertage -
11 Hydraulic
Veränderung
Hydraulische
alternations
Soil
subsidence
des Bodens (Subsidenz)
Setzung
12 Bodenerschütterung
12
Relevante Gesetzgebung
Cooling
Auskühlung
23
Eintrag
23 Stofflicher
Material
emissions
Eintrag
Stofflicher
34
Kurzschluss
34 Hydraulischer
BBergG
45
Eintrag
45 Thermischer
Water
demand
Wasserbedarf
BBergG
56
(Blow-Out)
56 Bohrlochausbruch
BBergG
Thermal
emissions
Eintrag
Thermischer
66 Wasserbedarf
Land
use
Flächeninanspruchnahme
77 BBergG
77 Aushub
von Bodenmaterial/
BBergG
accumulation/disposal
89 Waste
Rest- und Abfallstoffen
von
Anfall
x.xBodenverdichtung
11 Bodenerschütterung
22 Stofflicher Eintrag
33 Hydraulischer Kurzschluss
44 Thermischer Eintrag1
55 Bohrlochausbruch (Blow-Out)
66 Wasserbedarf
BBergG
8
Lärmwirkung
8
4*
77 Aushub von Bodenmaterial/
BBergG
Umwelteffekt
Site-specific
environmental
impact
8
99** standortabhängiger
und Abfallstoffen
Anfall von Restx.xBodenverdichtung
11
10
1 Flächeninanspruchnahme
88 Lärmwirkung
BBergG, TA-Lärm
7*
7
alle Systeme
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
9
Abfallstoffen
und
Restvon
Anfall
9
BBergG
8*
11
Beeinträchtiung
1 Visuelle
Systeme
geschlossene
untertägig
10
1 Flächeninanspruchnahme
ggf. BNatSchG,
BBergG,
ROG,
12
mikroseismischer Ereignisse
1 Induzierung
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BundeswaldG
11
1 Visuelle Beeinträchtiung
ROG
BBergGalle
12
1 Induzierung mikroseismischer Ereignisse
BBergG
all- Bundesberggesetz;
systems
Systeme
subsurfacegeschlossene
closed systemsSysteme
untertägig
alle Systeme
subsurface
open systems
Systeme
untertägig offene
untertägig geschlossene Systeme
Aquifer-systems
Aquifer-Konzepte
BBergG - Bundesberggesetz; TA-Lärm - Technisch Anleitung
Unsufficient Legislation
HDR-systems
HDR-Konzepte
Unzureichende
Gesetzgebung
Unsufficient
legal regulations
/ knowledge
Raumordnungsgesetz; BNatSchG – Bundesnaturschutzgese
Luft
Air
Mikroklima
Climate
Luft
Air
Untergrund/Gestein
Underground
Boden
Ground
Tiefenwasser
Formation Water
Grundwasser
Groundwater
Oberflächenwasser
Surface Water
Pflanzen/Biotope
Plants
Tier
Animals
Mensch
Human
Ausreichende Gesetzgebung
BBergG - Bundesberggesetz; TA-Lärm - Technisch Anleitung zum Schutz gegen Lärm; ROG –
RegardingBNatSchG
legeslation
Local environmental
impacts Raumordnungsgesetz;
– Bundesnaturschutzgesetz; BundeswaldG - Bundeswaldgesetz
Lokale Umwelteffekte
abbriveations
see
section 4.2
(construction)
- Betrieb untertage Relevante Gesetzgebung
BBergG (operating plan)
11 Material emission (drilling mud)
BBergG (operating plan)
Hydraulische
Veränderung
emission
(stimulation fluid)
BBergG
2211Material
Setzungemission
des Bodens
(Subsidenz)
BBergG
BBergG (operating plan)
(miscellenaous)
3322Material
Approach of the study
Subsurface systems
1
Surface systems
Status of geothermal power production
Plant-specific conditions
2
Legal conditions
Environmental Analysis and Evaluation
• Background
3 Life Cycle Assessment
• Methodology
4
Local impact assessment
• Results
• Conclusions
5
Conclusions and advices
Conclusions

Geothermal energy provision has a lot of impacts on the
environment.

In Germany, these impacts are for the most part sufficiently
regulated by law.

Environmental impacts can turn into negative environmental
effects (or even risks)…

…if the existing legal regulation respectively the state of
knowledge is insufficient.
Conclusions

In order that geothermal energy generation can contribute
to a sustainable energy provision in Germany
 adjustment of legal regulations to geothermal
particularities
 scientific monitoring and
 promotion of further R&D measures
are needed.
Thank you very much for your attention!
Dieses Vorhaben wurde im Auftrag des Umweltbundesamtes im Rahmen des Umweltforschungsplanes – Förderkennzeichen 205 42 110 erstellt und mit Bundesmitteln finanziert.
Stephanie Frick
Frick@gfz-postdam.de, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam
Christiane Lohse Christiane.Lohse@uba.de, Federal Environment Agency
Martin Kaltschmitt Kaltschmitt@tu-harburg.de, Institute for Energy and Environment
and Institute for Environmental Technology and Energy
Economics, Hamburg University of Technology