| Abstract |
Egypt present energy strategy aims at increasing the share of renewable energy to 20 percent of Egypt’s energy mix by 2020. Egypt demand for electricity is growing rapidly (an annual rate of increase from 1,500 to 2,000MW) and with time an alternative sources of power supply become more urgent. Some aspects of utilization of renewable energy is already made from wind and solar resources. Despite scares direct utilization, the geothermal potential "till now" is not included in the renewable energy map of Egypt. Majority of the geothermal resources of Egypt are mainly located along the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea with a surface temperature range of 40 - 76oC. Some other spots are found in the Western Desert of Egypt, close to the Oasis (Baharia and Dakhla). Regarding the Gulf of Suez, the previous studies and analyses of temperature profiles, logging data from deep oil wells and geo-thermometric parameters referred to spots of good geothermal potentials, i.e. good geothermal gradient (45 oC /Km) and heat flow (120 mW/m2). The fracture and faulting systems associated with the tectonic activity of the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez provide a continuous supply of heat energy to the deep circulated fluids. Geothermal assessment and reserve estimation studies assigned good figures of geothermal power energy that can be used for installing binary power plants. Hammam Faraun geothermal spring is the best location for such investment where an estimate of geothermal reserve of 12.4 MWt is already made. Away from Gulf of Suez, some other thermal springs (up to 35 oC) enriched with sulphur are located 25 km south of Cairo close to Helwan city. In the Western Desert of Egypt, hot water is produced from some deep artesian wells. the temperature range is in the range from 35-45 oC. These resources can be used for low and direct geothermal applications (district heating "especially in winter", swimming pools, medical therapy, green houses, etc. A detailed field mapping, geochemical and geophysical exploratory work is needed in future to better define the potentiality of the geothermal resources in Egypt. |