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Online event – Upper Rhine Graben – Middle Europe’s promising geothermal resource, June 17, 2020

Online event – Upper Rhine Graben –  Middle Europe’s promising geothermal resource, June 17, 2020 Rhine Valley at Ortenau, Germany (source: flickr/ schwarzwert-naturfotografie, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 18 May 2020

The Upper Rhine Graben, a tri-national area from Basel in Switzerland alongside the French-German border all the way up to Frankfurt in Germany has one of the highest geothermal gradients in Middle Europe with lots of potential. This and ongoing development is part of an IGC Online event on June 17, 2020.

The Upper Rhine Graben (URG) an area stretching alongside the French-German border and into Switzerland extends about 300 kilometers and is about 40 kilometers wide. Part of the Upper Rhine Graben are the Alsace region in France, the cantons of Basel and Baselland in Switzerland and in Germany the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. The area has great geothermal potential and has seen a lot of development interest over the years.

The region and its opportunities are part of an IGC Online Meeting: Upper Rhine Graben event taking place June 17, 2020 from 14:00 to 17:30 (CEST). 

The geothermal development in the regions is on a different scale, there is on the one hand the oldest heat producing plant in Riehen, close to Basel with a cross-border district heating system. There are the EGS plants and projects in Alsace with the flagship Soultz-sous-Forets. And the first economic geothermal electricity producing plants in Germany. However, in all areas the geothermal potential is much higher as the actual plant set up. Especially, if  considering the possibilities of district heating. The big cities, among others Basel, Freiburg, Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Mainz and many more, in all three countries have established district heating systems which have to leave their fossil past behind and focus on a green supply in the future. The potential for the transformation in the Upper Rhine Graben exists, as the operating projects illustrate. And geothermal offers in the region the best solution in combination with power production.

The high geothermal potential originates from the expansion oft he graben as an effect of the alpine orogenesis. This expanison resulted in a rise of the mantle closer to the surface. Thus, higher temperatures can be found in lower depth, illustrated by the springs of the spas and the geothermal plants. The geothermal gradient can reach regionally more than 60 degrees Celsius per kilometre.

This is the scene for the new IGC Online Meeting: Upper Rhine Graben, taking place on June 17 from 14.00 to 17.30. Here, the potential oft he Upper Rhine Graben is presented, the challenges for geothermal plants in an active seismic environment are shown and the chances like the exploitation of lithium are illustrated. Moreover, existing plants from all three countries are introduced regarding their development and the operational experiences.

The online meeting offers the possibility for interesting presentations of experts introducing the various topics and discussions after the presentations. As participant you are able to see the other participants and get in touch with them via personal chat. Register NOW for the IGC Online Meeting:Upper Rhine Graben on igc.events as the number of participants for this new format is restricted. Registrations are confirmed in order of application and payment.

Source: IGC.events