Thursday, January 24, 2013

Europe:

Mapping the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential in Europe and Selected Case Study Areas (earthzine.org)

A screenshot from ThermoMap, here with the Austrian test area “Mondsee,” close to the city of  Salzburg at the edge of the limestone Alps and the pore-Alpine Lake District. (Courtesy earthzine.org)

Europe is undergoing an energy transition with the aim to abolish nuclear, coal and other non-renewable energy sources through renewable energy developments. Such renewable energy resources are rapidly gaining importance. Besides the well-researched and already implemented solar, wind and hydropower domain, less research has been done in the analysis of very shallow geothermal energy resources in Europe.

Thus, the ThermoMap project addresses the topic of very shallow geothermal potential or ‘vSGP’ in Europe, defined as the natural thermal conductivity of the unconsolidated underground, to a maximum depth of 10 meters.

Read More.....