| Title | 20 Years of Exploitation of the Yarragadee Aquifer in the Perth Basin of Western Australia for Direct Use of Geothermal Heat |
|---|---|
| Authors | Martin PUJOL, Ludovic RICARD, Grant BOLTON |
| Year | 2015 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Yarragadee, Perth, hydrogeology, direct use, case study, HSA |
| Abstract | Aquifers in the Perth Metropolitan region of Western Australia have been explored and exploited for water supply since the late nineteenth century. The availability of warm groundwater from the Yarragadee confined aquifer at relatively shallow depths was very popular with laundries, public baths and for industrial applications throughout the early twentieth century but it was not until 1997 that the first direct use geothermal project for bathing and swimming was implemented in Perth. By the end of 2015, eleven commercially successful geothermal schemes will use low enthalpy geothermal water supplies from the Yarragadee aquifer at depths ranging from 800 to 1,500 m for heating leisure centres, building air and outdoor pools in the Perth Metropolitan Region. With distributed heat estimated to more than 25 GWh (billion watt-hour) per year, Perth currently has the biggest concentration of operating geothermal direct use projects in Australia. The development of geothermal projects in Perth was made possible by early achievements pioneered by designers from the groundwater industry. This paper presents the hydrogeological setting of the Yarragadee aquifer which is the main geothermal resource in Perth, the design considerations, the economic and environmental considerations, and the best practices and circumstances that led to the 100% success rate of direct use geothermal projects in Perth. |