CanGEA releases Alberta Geothermal Favourability Map

Alberta Geothermal Favourability Map, Canada (source: CanGEA)

Alexander Richter 30 May 2013

The Canadian Geothermal Energy Association has just released the Alberta Geothermal Favourability Map.

The map released yesterday for the province of Alberta includes an estimate of Theoretical and Technical Potential as detailed by the methodology in the Global Protocol for Estimating and Mapping Geothermal Potential.

Theoretical and Technical Potential are defined as follows:

• Theoretical Potential: an estimate of “the physically usable energy supply over a certain time span in a given region. It is defined solely by the physical limits of use and thus marks the upper limit of the theoretically realizable energy supply contribution” (Rybach, 2010).
• Technical Potential: the fraction of the theoretical potential that can be used under the existing technical restrictions… structural and ecologic restrictions as well as legal and regulatory allowances” (Rybach, 2010).

The Alberta Geothermal Favourability Map & Database have been completed and released, with way more potential than was originally thought. This is the first province to be completed as part of the Canadian National Geothermal Database (CNGD) with British Columbia to come next.

To find out more and to see what Alberta has to offer:http://www.cangea.ca/cngd-data/

Disclaimer: the author is a Director on the Board of CanGEA