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10 areas of Dutch geothermal development in the Netherlands – and beyond

10 areas of Dutch geothermal development in the Netherlands – and beyond Zwolle - Pelserbrugje, Netherlands (source: flickr/ Sjaak Kempe, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 26 Nov 2018

The Netherlands are seeing more interest in geothermal energy development, mostly for heating, but the Dutch interest in geothermal energy goes beyond national development. Companies and researchers are working in European projects, but also in Kenya and Indonesia.

The Netherlands have entered the geothermal space over recent years, last but not least with the approach of utilising geothermal energy for heating, e.g. of greenhouses, but also for heating residential and business buildings.

The country has been looking at ways to become independent from natural gas with the planned stop of using natural gas by 2030. Therefore the search for alternatives is fully on. We recently reported on several consortia of companies that plan to map the Dutch subsurface to see how geothermal energy could be developed.

An article last week by Duurzaam Bedrijfsleven in the Netherlands lists nine locations in the Netherlands where geothermal energy options are explored or developed.  We added our take here below.

1. Westland

Greenhouse growers in the Westland need heat to keep their greenhouses at temperature. Utilities Westland Infra has been working together with energy company HVC for some time to test whether ultra-deep geothermal energy can help. The project plans to produce 25-45 MWthermal per year, which could provide heating for about 25,000-40,000 households and save up to 64,000 tons in CO2 emissions. Further details can be found here.

2. Alkmaar

In the municipalities of Alkmaar, Langedijk and Heerhugowaard, energy company HVC Group is investigating whether geothermal energy can provide an existing heat network. The heat that fills the pipes is now coming from a biomass power plant.

3. Kenya

Yes, Kenya the country and not a location in the Netherlands. But in Kenya, the University of Twente recently announces a cooperation with Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) to supports geothermal energy research, as we reported.

4. Lelystad

There are already several heat networks in Lelystad; the heat transition can be accelerated by using geothermal heat. Energiebedrijf HVC announced earlier this week that it had applied for a permit for an investigation, as reported by Duurzaam Bedrijfsleven.

5. Den Helder

Together with Lelystad the most recent participant in an investigation. In the city, energy supplier HVC will investigate whether a local heating network is feasible.

6. Utrecht

In the middle of the country both the municipality and the province of Utrecht are going to investigate whether they can make the heat supply more sustainable . The research focuses on geothermal heat at a maximum depth of 3 kilometers. One of the partners is the Dutch subsidiary of French energy company Engie, we reported.

7. Rotterdam

Engie, Shell and energy supplier Hydreco have submitted an application to the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate to start an investigation into the extraction of geothermal energy in the Rotterdam region. In addition to a heating network for heating homes, companies in the port of Rotterdam can also be heated with geothermal energy. We reported on it.

8. Zwolle

The capital of Overijssel investigates whether the use of geothermal energy can further reduce CO2 emissions. We reported on the municipality of Zwelle securing a geothermal exploration permit in January 2018.

9. Delft

The University of Delft wants to drill its own geothermal well to enable better research into the applications of geothermal energy. A part of the campus is already heated by geothermal energy. The new project, we reported on it, is looking at the possibility of suppling campus buildings with heat. In the future further research could be done on extending the heat grid further.

10. Indonesia

Well, and there is Indonesia. The first geothermal power plant in Indonesia actually goes back to work done during the Dutch colonial era. “In 1918, during the Dutch colonial era, JB. Van Dijk proposed to harness geothermal energy in Kawah (crater) Kamojang, West Java. It is the starting point for the geothermal development history in Indonesia. Coincidently, the event coincided with the beginning of harnessing the geothermal steam to generate electricity in Larderello-Italy.” This early work resulted in drilling five wells in Kamojang in West Java. The third well (KMJ-3) was the first successful one drilled to a depth of 66m in 1926. It is until today superheated dry steam near the geothermal power plants of Kamojang. Since 1928, geothermal development stopped and was only revisited in 1964. (Mansoer, W. R., Idral, A. “Geothermal Resources Development in Indonesia: A History” – WGC 2015, pdf)

At the same time the GEOCAP, Geothermal Capacity Building Program (Indonesia-NEtherlands) has been working in support of geothermal development in Indonesia. It is a public-private partnership with a consortium of Dutch partners lead by the University of Twente, including IF Technology, Well Engineering Partners (WEP), TNO, DNVKEMA (now DNVGL), Delft University of Technology, Utrecht University, and University of Twente, as well as Indonesian partners,Technical University Bandung (ITB), University of Indonesia (UI), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), INAGA, geothermal companies, (WWF Indonesia is an associate partner to GEOCAP).

Kamojang_geothermalwell_1926

Source: Duurzaam Bedrijfsleven