| Title | The Geothermal Potential in the Upper Rhine Graben Valley |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jurgen Dornstadter, Oskar Kappelmeyer & Matias Welter |
| Year | 1999 |
| Conference | European Geothermal Conference |
| Keywords | Upper Rhine Graben, geothermal potential, 3D-Model, temperature distribution |
| Abstract | The geothermal energy potential in the Upper Rhine Graben and the adjacent areas was estimated using a 3D model. The total length of the graben area, which lies mainly on German and French territory and to a sinall part on Swiss territory in the Basel area, is about 300 km and the average width is 40 km. The data base for the creation of the 3D model consists of temperature values measured in intervals of 100 m in 928 boreholes with a maximum depth of 3600 m. The data sets were provided by the NLfB - GGA, Hannover. The energy which can be obtained by cooling down the model volume enclosing the first 6 km of the underground of the Upper Rhine Graben to 30 "C lies is in the range of 2.7 10+22 [J]. This huge theoretical energy potential could cover the momentary prhnary energy demand of Germany for more than thousand years. Roughly 15% of this theoretical heat potential are stored in areas exceeding temperatures over 150 "C. This technically usable potential of terrestrial heat of approximately 3.7 10+21 [J] is suitable for the production of electricity. It resembles more than 1000 times the energy consumption during one year in Germany and more than 500 times the energy consumption of Germany and France together. The conversion of this technically usable heat into electrical power could be assessed using geothermal power plants, considering the results of the European Hot-Dry-Rock project in Soultz-sous-For& A successful installation of a HDR power plant with an electrical power net production of 26 MW(e), the conditions will be discussed later, is necessary to finance the construction and maintenance of the plant by the sale of electrical power. |