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Study released on geothermal energy for local and district heating in Switzerland

Study released on geothermal energy for local and district heating in Switzerland Thermal Spa and Bath at Lavey-les-Bains, Vaud, Switzerland (source: flickr/ Kraken_Boy, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 26 May 2017

A recent report provides an overview on the opportunities for geothermal heating in Switzerland, both in local and district heating systems.

How can the geothermal potential be used for heat networks? On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Geothermie-Schweiz has prepared an overview study on the geothermal potential in Switzerland. These potentials are usually connected in an information system with other relevant information such as existing heating networks.

The survey provides an overview of the existing national and cantonal studies on geothermal energy potential in Switzerland. Regional and local studies were not considered. A total of 31 cantonal studies were analyzed for the period between 1988 and 2014. The main focus was on average depth and deep geothermal energy. The study provides an initial overview of the various geothermal potentials in Switzerland. It serves as the basis for project developers of district heating systems in particular.

The study highlights the fact that there is also a large geothermal potential for the cooling supply, which has not been considered until now. In order to be able to estimate the economically usable potential of geothermal energy for heat networks, information on infrastructures, such as existing or planned heat networks, as well as on heating / cooling requirements are relevant. Therefore, the study recommends that this information be taken into account in the current information system for the deep geothermal energy of Swisstopo (GeoTherm project).

Geothermal energy for local and district heating. Overview of the cantonal and national geothermal potential studies, utilization possibilities and application examples. April 2017 (pdf)

Source: EE News