Switzerland and its plans to replace nuclear with geothermal power
DMT trucks for 3D seismic work in St. Gallen, Switzlerland (source: DMT)
Alexander Richter
20 Oct 2011
Switzerland is looking at geothermal power to replace its nuclear power supply. The first project is located in St. Gallen, but a larger project is planned to tap geothermal resources for power generation at depths of 10,000 meters.
Several news here on ThinkGeoEnergy have maybe given an indication that Switzerland is looking at ways to replace its dependence on nuclear power. The option that is thereby looked at in particular is geothermal power. Currently the country derives about 40% of its electricity from nuclear power and just decided to completely leave nuclear behind.
Reported by Swiss television, geothermal heat from a 10km deep well and 15 wells planned in the next few years show that municipality utilities, engineers and the federal state of Switzerland are planning big geothermal power stations.
In the article, it describes one project that is expected to drill to a depth of 10 km reaching temperatures of 300 centigrades, which could then replace a complete nuclear power station. This project would cost around Swiss Franc 6 billion ($6.5 billion). The project is currently being financially supported in its first phase by the large municipal utilities.
The country expects that about 15 wells need to be drilled for smaller plants. There are though more sufficient funds needed to build those. For the near term CHF500-700 million would be needed, but so far the country has only spent around CHF1 million per year. This is far from sufficient.
So far development in Switzerland was not successful. Two years ago a project in Zuerich didn’t find sufficient water and drilling in Basel was stopped following an earthquake and related damages to buildings.
The project that everybody now looks at is the one in St. Gallen. In the beginning of next year, drilling from a drilling pad currently being prepared is to reach depths of 4,000 meters.
Engineers involved in the project hope to find the same source of thermal water, which already provides projects in Germany with sufficient supply for geothermal power plants.
The article includes a good video that looks at Switzerland, but also the project in Unterhaching, close to Munich in German. (in German)
Source: Tageschau, Schweizer Fernsehen (in German)
