geothermal electricity and combined heat & power - European ...

Geothermal electricity in EuropeAs far as geothermal electricity is concerned,the vast majority of eligible resources,in Continental Europe at large, isconcentrated in Italy, Iceland and Turkey; thepresently exploited potential represents so far0.3% of the whole renewable energy market.There are two major geothermal areas in Italy,Larderello-Travale/Radicondoli and Monte Amiatarespectively, achieving a 810 MW einstalledcapacity.They represent two neighbouring parts of thesame deep seated field, spreading over a huge,ca 400 km 2 , area, which produces superheatedsteam. On the Larderello side, the exploited areaand installed capacity amount to 250 km 2 and562 MW erespectively. On the Travale/Radicondoliside, to the Southeast, the installed capacity is160 MW eand the exploited area 50 km 2 . Thesteam condensates recovered from Travale arereinjected into the core of the Larderello field,via a 20 km long water pipeline.The Monte Amiata area, in Northern Latium,includes two water dominated geothermal fields,Piancastagnaio and Bagnore. On both fields a deepresource has been identified under the shallowproducing horizons. Weak social acceptance fromthe local communities are slowing down the fulldevelopment of the promising, high potential, deepreservoir. Presently, five units are operating, one inBagnore and four in Piancastagnaio, totalling a 88MWe installed capacity. Projects, adding a further100 MW ecapacity, have been commissioned andwill be completed in the near future.Geothermal resources in Iceland relate to the activevolcanic environment of the island, located onthe mid-Atlantic ridge and its sea floor spreadingattributes. Iceland has proved a leading countryin direct uses of geothermal energy, mainly ingreenhouse and district heating (89% of the totaldomestic heating demand) and is increasing itselectricity production, which reached (@2006) a420 MW einstalled capacity. Although significant,this capacity ought to be compared to the hugepotential of the island, estimated at ca 4000 MW e,a figure far above national power requirements,ca 1500 MW e, among which hydropower holdsthe dominant share (1300 MW e).Turkey’s geothermal resources are mainly locatedin Western Anatolia on the Aegean sea façade.District heating stands presently as the mostimportant utilisation with 65000 heated homes.This, in spite of mild climatic conditions which stillmakes geothermal heat competitive as a resultof the high cost of electric heating, 8 to 10 timeshigher than geothermal heat. Electricity productionin the Kizildere water dominated field is suppliedby a 15 MW edesign plant (start up, 1988) capacity,actually standing at 12 MW e. Binary plantshave been commissioned. The largest geopower(flashed steam) plant, rated 45 MW e, is presently inadvanced construction stage at Germencek. Thenational geothermal electricity potential has been(conservatively) estimated at 200-300 MW e.In Greece, high temperature geothermal resourcesare located in the Aegean volcanicisland arc, in the Milos (Cyclades) and Nisyros(Dodecanese) islands, thanks to direct drillingand testing assessments. Electricity generationfrom a 2 MW erated pilot plant ceased further tothe strong opposition of the local community andmismanaged communication by the geothermaloperator. The country potential in the Aegeanarchipelagos and, at a lesser extent through, inthe northern, mainland located, grabensis estimated at ca 200 MW e. Otherwise,several low temperature fields areexploited, on presently limited bases,for greenhouse heating and processheat applications.In Russia, geoelectric development tookplace in the Mutuovski field of Kamchatkawhich, although belonging politically toEurope, ought to be regarded as geogra-IcelandKrafla, Iceland10 EGEC | Geothermal Electricity and Combined Heat & Power