Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Germany: Good Progress at 50 MWth Munich Geothermal District Heating Project

Munich's second geothermal well exceeds expectations (Industry Europe)

Munich’s publicly-owned utility company, Stadtwerke München, has completed the drilling of a second well for the city’s geothermal heating plant, reaching a depth of 3,044 m and temperatures of 108°C.

The successfully completed well, reports Stadtwerke München, was completed as part of a planned heat and power station for the city. At a depth of 3,044 m, boiling water was discovered. “At 108°C, the temperature is significantly higher than expected,” said Stadtwerke München’s Technical Director Helge-Uve Braun.

It was previously assumed when drilling for the geothermal plant’s second of six wells that the temperature at this depth would be around 102°C. With this unexpected higher temperature, meaning a higher output, now the well is complete, Braun is certain that the site on the River Isar will ultimately play host to the “most powerful and largest geothermal plant in Germany”. It was estimated that the plant could deliver up to 50 MW of thermal.