Geothermal Utilization in Europe Electricity Production Direct Use by Enex & Geysir Green Energy January 2008 Geysir Green Energy. Enex Table of Index 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 2 2 HISTORY OF GEOTHERMAL UTILIZATION IN EUROPE ............................................... 2 3 GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES........................................................................................... 2 3.1 ELECTRICITY GENERATION............................................................................................... 3 3.2 DIRECT HEAT USES ......................................................................................................... 3 3.3 HOT DRY ROCK .............................................................................................................. 3 4 GEOTHERMAL UTILIZATION AND POTENTIAL IN EUROPE........................................ 3 4.1 HIGH TEMPERATURE GEOTHERMAL COUNTRIES ................................................................ 6 4.1.1 Iceland.................................................................................................................... 6 4.1.2 Italy......................................................................................................................... 7 4.1.3 Portugal - Azores ................................................................................................... 7 4.1.4 Turkey .................................................................................................................... 8 4.2 LOW TEMPERATURE COUNTRIES ...................................................................................... 8 4.2.1 Austria .................................................................................................................... 8 4.2.2 Bulgaria .................................................................................................................. 9 4.2.3 Croatia.................................................................................................................... 9 4.2.4 Czech Republic .................................................................................................... 10 4.2.5 Denmark............................................................................................................... 10 4.2.6 France .................................................................................................................. 11 4.2.7 Georgia ................................................................................................................ 11 4.2.8 Germany .............................................................................................................. 12 4.2.9 Greece ................................................................................................................. 12 4.2.10 Hungary ............................................................................................................ 13 4.2.11 Ireland ............................................................................................................... 13 4.2.12 Netherlands....................................................................................................... 14 4.2.13 Norway.............................................................................................................. 14 4.2.14 Poland............................................................................................................... 14 4.2.15 Romania............................................................................................................ 15 4.2.16 Russian Federation........................................................................................... 15 4.2.17 Slovakia ............................................................................................................ 16 4.2.18 Sweden ............................................................................................................. 16 4.2.19 Switzerland ....................................................................................................... 16 5 REFERENCE LIST ........................................................................................................... 18 Contacts: Enex, www.enex.is, Tel: +354 540 7200 Geysir Green Energy, www.gge.is, Tel: +354 412 2000 Page 1 of 17 Geysir Green Energy. Enex 1 Introduction The utilization of geothermal energy in Europe both consist of electricity production and direct use. This memo contains a review of the utilization in Europe in 2007 and a preliminary estimate of the geothermal potential in Europe. The memo is a work of Enex and Geysir Green Energy. 2 History of geothermal utilization in Europe Geothermal heating has been used since Roman times for bathing, cooking and as a way of heating buildings and spas by utilizing sources of hot water and hot steam that exist near the earth's surface (Wikipedia, 2008). Water from hot springs is now used world-wide in spas, space heating, and for agricultural and industrial uses. (Dickson, Mary H. and Fenelli, Mario, 2004) In 1892 the first geothermal district heating system began operations in Boise, Idaho (USA). In 1928 Iceland, another pioneer in the utilization of geothermal energy also began exploiting its geothermal fluids (mainly hot waters) for domestic heating purposes. (Dickson, Mary H. and Fenelli, Mario, 2004) Using of geothermal energy to produce electricity is a relatively new industry. The Larderello field in Tuscany, Italy, produced the world's first geothermal electricity in 1904. In the experiment, five light bulbs were lit by electricity produced through steam emerging from vents. The success of this experiment was a clear indication of the industrial value of geothermal energy and marked the beginning of a form of exploitation that was to develop significantly from then on. Electricity generation at Larderello was a commercial success. The major production at Larderello began in the 1930s, and in 1970, the power capacity reached 350 MWe. In 1911, the world's first geothermal power plant was built in the Valle del Diavolo, named for the boiling water that rises there (Wikipedia, 2008). After the Second World War, many countries were attracted by geothermal energy, considering it economically competitive with other forms of energy. It did not have to be imported, and, in some cases, it was the only energy source available locally. More recently, extensive direct heat utilization projects have been undertaken in many European countries, and electric power developed extensively in Italy and Iceland. Geothermal heat pumps became extensively used in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden (Antice, Miklos and Sanner, Burkhard, 2007). 3 Geothermal resources The earth’s temperature varies widely, and geothermal energy is usable for a wide range of temperatures from room temperature to well over 300°C. The most common criterion for classifying geothermal resources is based on the enthalpy of the geothermal fluids that act as the carrier transporting heat from the deep hot rocks to the surface. Enthalpy, which can be considered more or less proportional to temperature, is used to express the heat (thermal energy) content of the fluids, and gives an idea of their 'value'. The resources are divided into low, medium and high enthalpy (or temperature) resources, according to criteria that are generally based on the energy content of the fluids and their potential forms of utilization (Dickson, Mary H. and Fenelli, Mario, 2004). For simplification, the definition low-, medium- and high-temperature will be used to classify a geothermal resource in following chapters. Geothermal reservoirs are then classified as being medium-to-low-temperature for temperature under 150°C and high-temperature for temperature over 150°C. Geothermal energy can be reclaimed in two different ways: in the form of electricity and the form of heat. Each type of utilization is distinguished by different technologies and applications. (Antice, Miklos and Sanner, Burkhard, 2007). Electricity generation is the most important form of utilization of high- temperature geothermal resources (>150°C) (Chapter 3.1). The medium-to-low-temperature resources (<150°C) are suited to many different types of application such as electricity generation in a flash steam plant, binary cycle geothermal plant or with kalina cycle power plant (Chapter 3.1). The low-temperature resources are widely used for direct heat use (Chapter 3.2). Below is a short definition of the different type of the utilization of the geothermal resource. Page 2 of 17 Geysir Green Energy. Enex 3.1 Electricity generation Three different types of power plants, dry steam, flash and binary, are used to generate electricity from geothermal energy depending on temperature, depth and quality of the fluid in the geothermal area. In all cases the condensed steam, which is the remaining geothermal fluid, is injected back into the ground to pick up more heat. The binary plants employ for example ORC and Kalina cycles. 3.2 Direct heat uses Direct heat use is one of the oldest, most versatile and the most common form of utilization of geothermal energy. Bathing, space and district heating, agricultural applications, aquaculture and some industrial uses are the best-known forms of utilization, but heat pumps are the most widespread. (Dickson, Mary H. and Fenelli, Mario, 2004) 3.3 Hot Dry Rock Several European countries are a part of a project, Hot Dry Rock (HDR) Geothermal Energy