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2050 Energy Strategy for Switzerland includes EGS comeback

2050 Energy Strategy for Switzerland includes EGS comeback Berner Oberland, Switzerland (source: flickr/ petr cervinka, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas 16 Oct 2013

The Swiss Government wants to expand renewable energy sources by 2050.

Geothermal power generation is making a comeback in Switzerland. Geo-Energie Suisse has chosen it as one of three potential sites to develop a so-called Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) that could provide heat and electricity for Avenches. However, whether it will actually go ahead is a different matter. They country is movign away from non renewable energy sources to green technologies and plans to give geothermal a more relevant position by 2050.

The goal is to drill down deep – 4,000 metres or more – into the earth’s crust where temperatures rise as high as 200 degrees Celsius. Water under pressure is injected into the rock -fracturing it – and recovered after it has been heated and transformed into electricity according to Swiss Info.

There are some concerns about micro-earthquakes that geothermal might bring but also the population is worried about the old age of the nearby nuclear power plant of Mühleberg, calling it “old and dangerous”. Regarding the micro-seisms, Geo-Energie Suisse has also promised special monitoring every step of the way if it gets the go-ahead.

Source: Scott Capper via SwissInfo.ch