Open for applications for EGS research projects under EU-Mexico cooperation
Avenida de la Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico (source: flickr/ Enrique Dans, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
18 Nov 2015
Under a newly announced EU-Mexico geothermal research cooperation program, activities on EGS research can now be proposed.
We recently reported on a new cooperation agreement between the EU Commission and Mexico. Details have now been published on the Commission’s website and it appears the program is open for applications.
Mexico and Europe have high potential for geothermal energy generation; in particular the Mexican geothermal resource settings provide a unique opportunity to apply and further develop methodologies and technologies in the field of EGS (Enhanced Geothermal Systems) and of superhot systems. Cooperation activities are proposed in the framework of the Bilateral Agreement on Science and Technology between the European Union and the United States of Mexico.
The challenge is to increase knowledge and expertise to reduce technological and social risks associated with the development and exploitation of EGS and superhot geothermal fluids. For EGS, issues such as long-term productivity and unwanted side effects, such as induced seismicity, need to be controlled. In superhot systems the geothermal community needs more experience to address the specific challenges arising from the very hot fluids. These challenges include reliable characterization of the geothermal potential and the interaction of these very hot fluids with subsurface and surface installations. Scientific challenges to be addressed include: prediction of chemical and geological properties and their effect on geothermal operations; advanced fracture characterization technologies to determine the ideal exploitation scheme; identification of ideal areas for locating deep wells; high temperature well-logging tools and sensors; smart (high temperature) tracers.
The project is expected to progress in the technology development applying and consolidating concepts and technologies in different geological contexts therefore reducing technological and social risks of geothermal developments. The project will promote innovation and technological development in Mexico, establishing a reliable scientific framework to increase the number of commercial geothermal activities. In the project context a strengthening of the European geothermal technology base is also expected, expanding European market for geothermal technologies and creating growth and jobs. Scientific exchange of researches and capacity building are envisaged as an indirect project impact.
Proposals should appropriately exploit the complementarities between the EU and Mexico, and pave the way for significant enhancement in the cooperation between researchers and research institutions
Source: EU Commission/ Research & Innovation, Participant Portal
