Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Europe: EU Details Initiative for Global Leadership in Deep Geothermal Energy

New SET-Plan Implementation plans have been endorsed (News Release)

The Strategic Energy Technologies Information System (SETIS) of the European Commission has approved two new Implementation Plans including an "Initiative for Global Leadership in Deep Geothermal Energy." 

Targets of the Declaration of Intents (DOI):
  1. Increase reservoir performance resulting in power demand of reservoir pumps to below 10% of gross energy generation and in sustainable yield predicted for at least 30 years by 2030;
  2. Improve the overall conversion efficiency, including bottoming cycle, of geothermal installations at different thermodynamic conditions by 10% in 2030 and 20% in 2050;
  3. Reduce production costs of geothermal energy (including from unconventional resources, EGS, and/or from hybrid solutions which couple geothermal with other renewable energy sources) below 10 €ct/kWhel for electricity and 5 €ct/kWhth for heat by 2025; 
  4. Reduce the exploration costs by 25% in 2025, and by 50% in 2050 compared to 2015;
  5. Reduce the unit cost of drilling (€/MWh) by 15% in 2020, 30% in 2030 and by 50% in 2050 compared to 2015;
  6. Demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of responding to commands from a grid operator, at any time, to increase or decrease output ramp up and down from 60% - 110% of nominal power.