EC support to geothermal energy
research and demonstration
Jeroen Schuppers
European Commission, DG Research
ENGINE Launching Conference
Orléans 13 February 2006
Outline
 Current status of geothermal energy use in the EU
 Current status of EU geothermal RTD&D
 Towards the 7th Framework Programme
Geothermal power:
current trend
MWe
Cumulated announced efforts will bring European Union capacity up to
988 MW, i.e. a little less than the objective set by the European Commission
EurObserv’ER 2005
Geothermal heat:
current trend

MWth

For medium to low temperature heat an increase of 50 MW per year until 2010
seems a reasonable assumption, which will bring capacity up to 2 360 MWth
Geothermal heat pumps could reach 8 000 MW capacity in 2010 if average
annual growth rate of 10% is maintained
EurObserv’ER 2005
The Commission will work towards legislation on renewable energy in heating in 2006
Highlights of current
EC geothermal RTD (1)
 Research:
o verify the technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and environmental
sustainability of electricity production from enhanced geothermal systems
and other unconventional geothermal resources, through innovative
research into exploration, resource assessment and management
techniques, cheaper and more advanced drilling and stimulation
technologies, and more efficient power cycles
 Demonstration:
o electricity generation and/or CHP generation employing innovative,
environmentally sustainable and cost competitive technologies
o heating and cooling employing innovative environmentally sustainable and
cost competitive technologies, including ground coupled heat pumps
Highlights of current
EC geothermal RTD (2)
 EGS PILOT PLANT
European geothermal project for the construction of a scientific pilot
plant based on an Enhanced Geothermal System
 I-GET
 LOW-BIN
 GROUNDHIT
 ENGINE
The European Test Site
Soultz-sous-Forêts
SOULTZ
Vosges
Black Forest
The “Graben”
Important Milestones
1997
circulation:
> 10 MW(th)
3600 m
150 oC
5000 m
200 oC
5000 m
200 oC
Scientific Pilot Plant
2001 - 2007
The Scientific Pilot Plant
2001 - 2007
Phase I (2001 - 2004) : The underground system
 Drilling 3 directional wells to 5 km
 Creation & testing of the heat exchanger
Phase II (2004 - 2007) : Proof of concept & power generation
 Long-term circulation through the reservoir
 Hook-up 1,5 Mwe to provide realistic load
 Pilot plant installation (6 MWe)
International co-operation
 Swiss Deep Heat Mining Project
 IEA Geothermal Implementing Agreement
o
o
o
o
o
Annex
Annex
Annex
Annex
Annex
I: Environmental Impacts
III: Enhanced Geothermal Systems
IV: Deep Geothermal Resources
VII: Advanced Geothermal Drilling Techniques
VIII: Direct Use of Geothermal Energy
NOW AVAILABLE!
New EGS Project Handbook from ANNEX III
Enhanced Geothermal System
Project Management Decision Assistant
http//www.iea-gia.org
The EGS challenge
RESOURCE USE
COST
RISK
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
exploration
resource assessment
resource management
advanced drilling
advanced stimulation
efficient power cycles
environmental impact
Drilled Meters per day
40
30
20
10
0
1990
1995
2000
GPK-4 2004 directional drilling to 5261 m
GPK-3 2003 directional drilling to 5101 m
Deepening GPK-2 1999 from 3883 to 5084 m
GPK-2 1995 drilling to 3883 m
Deepening GPK-1 1992 from 2002 to 3590 m
50
1500
1000
Price (Ecu)Euro/Meter
The learning curve
meters drilled per day and cost per meter
2500
2000
500
0
2005
Source: T. Hettkamp, J. Baumgärtner, D. Teza, T. Gandy & R..Baria 2004
A thought on drilling cost
GPK-1
GPK-3
GPK-2
Highlights of current
EC geothermal RTD (3)
 EGS PILOT PLANT
 I-GET
Integrated Geophysical Exploration Technologies for deep fractured
geothermal systems
 LOW-BIN
Efficient Low Temperature Geothermal Binary Power
 GROUNDHIT
Ground coupled heat pumps of High Technology
 ENGINE
Highlights of current
EC geothermal RTD (4)
 EGS PILOT PLANT
 I-GET
 LOW-BIN
 GROUNDHIT
 ENGINE
Enhanced Geothermal Innovative Network for Europe
The ENGINE challenge:
 Co-ordinate ongoing research and promote the development
and uptake of new technologies
 Organise conferences and dedicated workshops (drilling,
electricity generation & CHP)
 Establish links between researchers, industry, international
organisations…
 Integration of scientific and technical know-how and practices
 Best Practice Manual for EGS/UGS
 European Reference Manual with synthesis of BPM and
reference to all information, (meta)database and models
collected during the CA
FROM KNOW-HOW TO SHOW-HOW
Seventh Framework Programme
Commission proposal
 Budget to be finalised
 Structure: Specific Programmes




Ideas – Frontier research
Cooperation – Collaborative research
People – Human potential
Capacities – Research capacity
 (Euratom, JRC)
Seventh Framework Programme
Cooperation, Energy









Hydrogen and fuel cells
Renewable electricity generation
Renewable fuels production
Renewable heating and cooling
CO2 capture and storage technologies for
zero emission power generation
Clean coal technologies
Smart energy networks
Energy efficiency and savings
Knowledge for energy policy making
Conclusions
 The EC research programme gives support to all the renewable
energy sources taking into account the research needs of the
different technologies.
 The main goal is to reduce the costs while increasing the
availability, efficiency and reliability.
 The emphasis of the RTD–part of the programme is on biomass
and photovoltaics. In FP7, we hope to be able to better support
also wind, geothermal, high temperature solar and ocean
energy.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/index_en.cfm
MEANWHILE AT SOULTZ-SOUS-FORETS …