Belgium:

Open Day for Deep Geothermal Energy Project in Belgium (VITO)

District heating network will benefit from geothermal water from a 13,000 feet deep well

VITO, a research and technology organization in areas of cleantech and sustainable development based in Belgium,  invited local inhabitants for an Info Day on the further course of the “deep geothermal energy” project on the Balmatt site in Mol, in northern Belgium.

One year after the demolition of the cooling tower and chimneys of the Electrabel plant and the clearing of the site, the second phase will start in August: the first drilling. VITO announced the timing of the project, from the launch of the drilling rig at the end of July and the start of the first drilling in August to the evaluation of the first drilling and the decision to perform a second drilling. Furthermore, VITO informed the neighbors about the planned roll out of the heating network surrounding the Balmatt site.

Hot water from a few kilometers below the surface will be used for the production of sustainable energy for domestic and industrial use. At first, VITO will use the energy to heat its own VITO buildings. At a later stage, the possibility exists that other nearby companies and homes may also join by means of a heating network. In order to realize this, a drilling in the deep subsurface must be performed. For this, a temporary 60 m high drilling rig will be installed in August. The drilling rig will create 2 wells up to a depth of approx. 4 km.

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