Facing earthquakes and the generation of less power than originally thought, the developers of Flanders’ first deep geothermal energy plant are learning the ropes
The development of deep geothermal energy in Flanders has come a long way, but it has faced ups and downs. While there is concern about the risk of earthquakes in the Kempen, three Flemish entrepreneurs are investing millions in a company that is tapping into the commercial potential of this renewable energy source hidden beneath the Earth’s surface.
However, the project suffered a serious setback at the end of June. A power failure was followed by an earthquake measuring 2.1 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was the result of a sudden release of pressure that had been increasing as cooled water was re-injected.
Vito .... paused its geothermal project to make thorough investigations, fine-tune its monitoring system to limit seismic risks and reduce the pressure resulting from the re-injection of water.
The analysis should be ready by the end of this month, after which Vito’s board of directors will decide on the way to proceed.