| Abstract |
Scientists, policymakers, industry leaders and the public urgently need to understand how the Earth responds to new and emerging subsurface energy technologies. These energy technologies will make a major contribution to the economy, to jobs, and to energy security, but are largely untried, unproven, and untested. Without understanding this better, nascent energy industries are likely to be arrested in their development, investments at best delayed and potentially unrealised, and economic dividends lost in the face of uncertainties related to technical feasibility and environmental impact, and as a result public scepticism and opposition. These Test-beds facilitate real-time, open access observations of the effects of subsurface energy applications (such as shale gas extraction, CCS and geothermal power generation) on groundwater, seismic activity and surface atmospheric emissions. They enable world-class understanding of subsurface energy applications leading to better management, regulation and environmental security assurance. Furthermore, they provide a platform for the development and commercialisation of a range of new low-carbon technologies and develop innovative, exportable local technology and expertise in energy technologies using the subsurface. The UK will develop the UK Geoenergy observatories (UGEOS) through a £31 million capital investment from government and a BGS resource co-investment of £7.5 million. It will be a national facility, open to global science projects with a focus on shallow geothermal from mine workings in a Glasgow regeneration area, and on deeper energy systems for extraction and storage at a site in northern England. The KMT Krafla Testbed (KMT), will be globally unique in that it will be the only testbed that is focussed on developing high-enthalpy geothermal at the magma - rock interface and will also allow testing of novel monitoring systems for volcanic hazards inside the magma chamber. Initial investments are ~$25 million with a plan for a ~$100 million over a decade or more of observations. Other Testbeds across the EU and globally are focussed on geothermal energy and carbon capture and storage and KMT will be integrated with these in sharing science experiments and best practice in technology development. This presentation will focus on the planning and early outcomes form some of these Testbeds and underline the future requirements globally. |