News

Geneva to start geothermal exploration & surveying

Geneva to start geothermal exploration & surveying Lac Leman at Geneva, Switzerland (source: flickr/ Hotel de la Paix Genève, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas 28 Oct 2015

After the failed attempts of Basel and St Gallen, SIG will now study the geothermal potential in the Geneva area.

News from the heart of Europe, where it will begin a comprehensive program of research and analysis of geothermal resources in 33 municipalities. The program is part of the Geothermie 2020 project launched last year by Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) to find hot water under the surface of the earth.

According to The Local, SIG said that initial tests last year between the towns of Chancy and Bernex concluded that there us potential under Lake Geneva at shallower levels than previously thought, only 500 meters underground.

The project that starts now involves using sound waves to detect the most attractive areas. Exploration works, will not have a negative impact on residents according to SIG, will continue until November and then resume next year for more specific exploration. The development of this form of energy renewable energy is a priority as a way of reducing the use of fossil fuels and to develop energy independence in the small nation. Geothermal energy is currently used to heat more than 50,000 buildings in Switzerland. It is worth mentioning that previous attempts to develop larger geothermal projects by drilling have failed in the cities of Basel and St. Gallen due to problems with micro-seismicity.

To read the full article, follow the link.

Source: The Local