Schwerin, Germany geothermal project delayed anew, targets November operations
Drilling rig on site in Schwerin, Germany (source: Daldrup & Söhne AG)
Carlo Cariaga
16 Oct 2024
Several issues had to be resolved at the Schwerin geothermal heating plant in Germany, but the project is now on pace to start operations by November 2024.
The geothermal heating plant in Schwerin, Germany had been beset by many problems since its initial target start of operations back in April 2023, but commissioning is now going according to plan and local utility company Stadtwerke Schwerin is optimistic that the facility can be put online by November 2024.
Plans for the Schwerin geothermal were first announced back in 2018. Utilizing the geothermal resource at 1300 meters depth, the plant will supply heat to the district heating system to provide 15% of the heating needs of Schwerin, or equivalent to 2000 households.
An inauguration ceremony for the Schwerin geothermal plant was held in April 2023. However, problems were encountered due to the presence of suspended particles in the fluids, likely from the sandstone formation. Thus, filters had to be designed and installed to ensure that the fluid entering the heat exchangers meets the requirement for the equipment.
Another problem then came up with the formation of bacteria that clogged the pipes, which again had to be flushed at the end of August. This caused the second target operations date of June 2024 to be missed again.
With commissioning currently ongoing, more and more warm brine is now being extracted from the borehole and pumped back. The heat pumps will then be put into operation in the next few weeks to start supplying geothermal heat to the local district heating network. Stadtwerke Schwerin is taking a measured approach to the process to avoid further problems.
Source: Tagesschau
