Geothermal energy might provide valuable services in this context – a possibility which is being considered by one of the four major German energy utilities, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.
"The development of renewable energies is one of the key issues for us. Geothermal energy as baseload energy can give an important contribution for a future energy mix. As shareholder in several geothermal power plants in the Upper Rhine Valley, we are collecting experiences since several years, helping us to continue developing these technologies. The aim is to produce low enthalpy geothermal energy on an economic scale in Germany", says Professor Dr. Wolfram Münch, head of the department of science and innovation at the EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.
About 20 geothermal power plants in Germany show that Germany boasts the resources required to produce geothermal electricity and heat. A recent study of the German Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) etitled "Energy target 2050: 100% renewable energies" estimates the feasible potential of geothermal energy to be about 10% of the nation’s electricity demand in the year of 2050. Another study, commissioned by the German Ministry of the Environment in 2010, found that geothermal plants could meet 15 % of the heat demand in Germany in 2050.
This week, players in the geothermal energy sector will be meeting at the 7th International Geothermal Conference in Freiburg to examine which technical, financial and political obstacles have to be overcome to permit Germany to meet this geothermal potential among other issues faced by the industry at present.
The key aspects of the first conference day are the implementation of EGS-projects, public relations for geothermal projects, potentials of the geothermal pumps as well as potentials and case studies in France, Germany and in Africa. On the second day different discussion forums are offered amongst others about cost reductions and progression in efficiency and financing of geothermal projects. Both are are translated simultaneously into English as well as the EGS short course and the pump workshop on the first day.
Field trips to geothermal projects in the Upper Rhine valley on the last day of the conference give a round up and thus a perfect overview of the current themes and topics related to geothermal energy. More than 200 international participants are expected for the conference.
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