| Abstract |
This paper presents an overview on the development of the Enel Green Power activities carried out in the five-years period 2010-2014. In Italy, the geothermal resources are mainly used for electricity generation and all of the plants in operation are located in Tuscany, in the two “historical” areas of Larderello-Travale and Mount Amiata. In the year 2013, with an installed capacity of 875.5 MW (767 MW efficient capacity), the gross electricity generation reached 5.7 billion kWh, which represents the new record of electricity produced from geothermal resource in Italy; in 2014 one additional unit (Bagnore 4) is being realized, increasing the capacity up to 914.5 MW. In the Larderello-Travale area the positive results of the deep drilling and a careful resource management with reinjection programs and chemical stimulation made it possible, to increase the steam production, despite the long and intensive exploitation history. Five additional units were thus installed in the period 2009-2013 with a total capacity of 100 MW, of which only 40 MW represent a net capacity increase, while 60 MW replaced old units, decommissioned because obsolete. In the Mount Amiata area, after many years in which all activities have been stopped due to pending acceptability problems from local communities, in 2012 Enel Green Power has obtained permission to resume drilling and construction activities. In the timeframe of 2012-2013 three additional units were thus installed with a total capacity of 60 MW to replace old units and some new wells have been drilled successfully. In 2013 Enel Green Power installed the first binary power plant in Italy (Gruppo Binario Bagnore3 – 1 MW) which is located in Bagnore Geothermal field (Mount Amiata) and uses the liquid phase after the primary flash of geothermal fluid. In 2015 Cornia 2 power plant will be upgraded adding a biomass fired boiler, allowing superheating of geothermal steam. This upgrading will increase the output power from 12 MW to 17.3 MW. During 2009–2013, thirty-one wells were drilled in the whole geothermal area, totaling about 100,000 meters, and 26 AMIS plants (the H2S and Hg abatement technology developed and patented by Enel) were installed and are currently in operation. Since 2011, Enel Green Power has begun new exploration activities in areas adjacent to the existing exploitation leases, with the main purpose to find a medium-high enthalpy fluid suitable for the production of electricity (temperature higher than 150°C). |