Riehen: the Path to Profitable Geothermal District Heating

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Riehen: the Path to Profitable Geothermal District Heating MGC, 08 October 2015 RIEHEN: THE PATH TO PROFITABLE GEOTHERMAL DISTRICT HEATING Geothermal energy in Switzerland Alpine Region Shallow systems Deep systems 2 Geothermal Site Riehen Fondation Beyeler Museum Pumping station and well 3 Well / Bachtelenweg Tectonic framework of Riehen • SSW-NNE-striking eastern boundary fault of the Upper Rhine valley • The development of the Upper Rhine graben in the Oligocene causes the formation of many small tectonic units. • It is assumed that the sediments with the geothermally relevant Upper Muschelkalk in this area is highly fractured. Riehen [Ustazewsky et al., 2009] Riehen – Geology The sediments in the vicinity of the boundary faults are highly factured and typical graben structures such as small tectonic units are observed [Gürler et al., 1987]. The productive formation is the Upper Muschelkalk. In order to obtain maximum production, the highly fractured zones near the boundary fault were selected for the doublet system [Boissavy & Hauber, 1994]. Basic concept of Riehen Heat and power production Heat pump Heat exchanger < 55 °C boilers CHPP 70 -90 °C Heat distribution network 65°C 30°C Geothermal circuit 6 Why heat pumps? Heat consumers Heat source Heat flows from a warm to a cold medium (2nd law of thermodynamics) consequence . Temperature Geothermal heat source > temperature heating system return temperature of heating system < temperature in injection well Geothermal system without heat pump Heat source Heat distribution Heat consumers network 70 °C 67 °C 65 °C H e a t H e a t e x c h a n g e r e x c h a n g e r 618 kW 56 °C 54 °C 53 °C Power of geothermal system Flow rate * Temperature difference Supercooling with heat pumps 90 -70 °C 2580 kW 56 °C 65 °C 30 °C 55 °C Chronology of Wärmeverbund Riehen AG 1980 - General analysis for use of renewable energies in Riehen 1982 - Working Group of the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land for the regional use of geothermal energy 1986 - Project for a heat distribution network in Riehen mit excess heat from local sewerage treatment plant 1987 - Approval of the loan for a geothermal well by Riehen and the canton Basel-Stadt 1988 - Drilling of the well RB1 Bachtelenweg und RB2 Stettenfeld - Project for a heat distribution network with heat pumps or CHPP in case of a failure of the geothermal system. Approval of the additional loan through the munipipality of Riehen (CHF 9.3 Mio.) 1989 - Initiation of peak load plant 1 and first phase of heat distributionb network in automn 1989 - Long production tests in geothermal wells Chronology of Wärmeverbund Riehen AG 1990 - Approval of project and loan (CHF 1.93 Mio) for the 2nd phase of the heat distribution network by municipality - Analsysis of production tests reveal the productivity of the geothermal reservoir (Press conference Decembre 1990) 1991 - Approval of project and loan (CHF 1.93 Mio) for the 3rd phase of the heat distribution network by municipality 1992 - Approval of project and loan (CHF 1.93 Mio) for the geothermal base load plant and 4th phase of the heat distribution network by municipality (CHF 22.14 Mio.) in May 1992 - Start of construction on base load plant in Septembre 1992 1994 - Initiation of base load plant in January 1994 1997 - First transnational heat delivery to Stetten (Lörrach DE) 2006 - Riehen-Plus: Concept for a merger of heat districution networks of Riehen Dorf (Municipality of Riehen), Niederholz (WV Niederholz AG) and Wasserstelzen (IWB) 2009 - Formation of Wärmeverbund Riehen AG. Implementation and expansion of geothermal heating system from autumn 2009 "Riehen plus": The path to profitable geothermal district heating Technical details of the project Extension of district heating from 26 GWh/a 54 GWh/a New connection to HT-district heating (IWB) 9 MW Higher flow in geothermal circuit From 18 l/sec to 25 l/sec Increased use of geothermal energy From 12 GWh/a to 20 – 26 GWh/a Reduction of carbon emissions (CO2) From 3'180 t/a to 5‘800– 6‘890 t/a 13 Tracer test • 10 kg Uranin-powder (Reactolab) with 1000 l water • 03.11. 2009 between12:30h and 14:10h • Proben 2011, 2012 negativ • All samples negative (one contaminated sample) • Tracer test shows: No direct connection between injection and production well Geological model of Riehen Model 1996: Cirkulation from Model 2010: Dominant groundwater flow production to injection well in or division of the aquifer by a fault (Weil- Muschelkalk block am-Rhein fault) 1996 2010 Mégel, T., 1996. Aqifer-Bewirtschaftung bei Klingler, P., 2010. Charakterisierung des Geothermischen Reservoirs der Geothermischen Energienutzung, PhD. Riehen: 3DStruktur und Tracer-Test. Masterabeit, Centre PhD, ETH Zürich, Zürich. d‘Hydrogéologie et Géothermie CHYN, Université de Neuchâtel. District heating perimeter before 2008 Final perimeter Technical perimeter: • Potential approx. 70 MW • Heat approx 100 GWh/a Annual load curve pre2009 Wärmeverkauf = 26 GWh/a Oil /Gas CHPP Geothermal heat = 12 GWh/a (46%) Final annual load curve Gas Boilers District heating - IWB Gas Boilers Geothermal heat = CHPP 26 GWh/a (48%) Geothermal circuit / heat pump 19 Heat production costs 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 Peak rate 2.0 high rate 0.0 low rate Geothermal circuit CHPP District heating Gas boiler EUR/kWh -2.0 -4.0 -6.0 -8.0 -10.0 Subsidies vs. incentives POSITIVE: Energy Model: Analysis of current energetic state with efficiency goal calculated with a list of measures with a payback time < 4/8 yrs. Benefits • Refund on the carbon emission tax • Generation of carbon emission reduction certificates Subsidies vs. incentives NEGATIVE: Basel municipal CHPP Power-subsidies (peak tarif) in summer: - Subsidized competition to geothermal heat - No heat demand in summer - Consumer Consumer heat sale [MWh/a] heat subscriptions [kW] 10'000 15'000 20'000 25'000 30'000 35'000 40'000 45'000 50'000 5'000 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 development 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 - 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Consumers subscriptionsHeat [kW] Heat sale [MWh/a] development of costs (history and forecast) 2'000'000 45'000 Subscribed connection power 1'500'000 40'000 (partially in operation) 35'000 1'000'000 30'000 500'000 Annual yield 25'000 [EUR/a] 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 20'000 -500'000 Heat Annual Annual yield [EUR/a] 15'000 subscriptions -1'000'000 [kW] 10'000 -1'500'000 5'000 -2'000'000 - Lessons learned 1. Geothermal district heating can be profitable 2. Heat generation cost are competitive to gas 3. Determing factors (geology, incentives) important 4. Clients are ready to accept and pay for geothermal district heating 5. Profitable district heating schemes require a minimal size One person waits for the times to change, the other seizes the day and acts! •Dante Alighei (1265-1321) it. Poet .
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