| Abstract |
South Africa is located in a geologically stable zone. Despite this, the country is relatively well endowed with thermal springs. Eighty seven thermal springs, with temperatures ranging from 250C to 67,50C have been documented to date. These springs are all of meteoric origin and are associated with crustal faulting. The chemical composition of the spring water is determined by the geochemistry of the strata from which they arise. This leads to an interesting anomaly where two adjacent springs may differ significantly with regard to their thermal and chemical properties. Of the 87 thermal springs, 29 have been developed for direct use - mainly as family leisure and recreational resorts. Very few utilize the water for health or spa purposes. Since coal is abundant and relatively cheap, coal burning power stations are the major suppliers of South Africa’s energy requirements. Until recently, very little attention was devoted to research on renewable energy resources. In view of the low temperatures of thermal springs, no effort was made to develop geothermal resources. A recently launched research project is aimed at investigating the feasibility of generating power using a thermal spring binary system as well as from hot granites. This paper gives an overview of energy production in South Africa, the state of local renewable energy projects, and the latest research endeavours on the geology, distribution, chemical and biological properties of geothermal resources. |