France Country Report 2012 IEA Geothermal Implementing Agreement

Transcription

1 IEA GEOTHERMAL France Country Report 2012 IEA Geothermal Implementing Agreement

2 National Activities Chapter 10 of Draft 2012 GIA Annual Report France Figure Drilling of a new production well at Champigny-sur-Marne (Paris basin). (Photo courtesy of and BRGM) 10.0 Introduction & Overview Geothermal energy has been used in France for a variety of applications for a long time, especially since the two 1970s oil crises. Many geothermal direct use operations have been commissioned since 1961; and most of the wells were drilled in the early 1980s, in the Paris sedimentary basin and also in Aquitaine. There has been renewed interest in these operations since The installed thermal power is estimated at 345 MWth and comprises about 50 plants, most used for district heating. The Paris Basin is remarkable for its 36 geothermal doublets (one production well, one injection well) linked to 31 heating networks. The water is pumped from the Dogger Aquifer (1,600-1,900 m depths) at temperatures of C. There are 10 single wells in Aquitaine (SW France), where reinjection is not needed. The development of ground-source heat pumps is more recent and still weak, though the market for heating office buildings and collective public housing is flourishing. France currently has two geothermal power plants: the Bouillante power plant in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) and the EGS pilot plant in Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace). Geothermal provides about 6% of Guadeloupe s electricity demand. The status of geothermal energy use in France for 2011 is presented in Table 10.1.

3 Table 10.1 Geothermal energy use in France for Electricity Total Installed Capacity (MWe) 17,7 Contribution to National Capacity (%) Total Generation (GWh) 56.6 Contribution to National Demand (%) 0.01% Direct Use Total Installed Direct Use (MWth) 345 Total Heat Used (PJ/yr) [GWh/yr] 3.9 [1,094] Total Installed Capacity for Heat Pumps (MWth) na 1,339 Total Net Heat Pump Use (PJ/yr) [GWh/yr] 9.7 [2,707] (na = data not available) A new policy has been implemented since 2005, mainly due to the Grenelle de l environnement process which aimed to redefine French policy for sustainable development and included input from industry, environmental associations, local authorities, state services, unions and experts. This policy strongly promotes all types of new geothermal. Geothermal heat use is expected to increase by a factor of five between 2006 and 2020, and 80 MW of geothermal electricity is expected to be installed in the overseas department in The geothermal installed capacity in France represents an equivalent saving of 494,000 tonnes of oil and around 1,596,000 tonnes of CO2 per year Highlights and Achievements New geothermal direct use operations have been realised since 2007 in the Paris basin. Four geothermal doublets drilled in the Paris basin in the early 1980s, were rehabilitated in 2012: the one in Champigny-sur- Marne was transformed to a triplet (a new production well was drilled and the two existing wells became injection wells [Figure 10.1]), and for three other old doublets (Thiais and Maisons-Alfort 1 & 2), a casing relining has been performed. Various rehabilitations are still expected (Figure 10.2); some recent doublets have also been drilled from 2007 in addition to existing operations (ADP Orly, Aubervilliers, Val Maubuée). Moreover, one doublet has been realized in the Albian aquifer (650m depth), for a district heating in Issy-les- Moulineaux near Paris. With a 28 C temperature and a 200 m 3 /h flow rate, this operation has a thermal capacity of 5.4 MW for heating and 1.3 MW for hot sanitary water, thanks to the use of heat pumps. Another doublet has been realized on the same principle in the Neocomian aquifer (900 m depth, 34 C temperature), for a district heating linked with social households in Plessis-Robinson, near Paris (Figure 10.3). The ECOGI project started with the realization of the first well between September to December 2012; this EGS project aims at producing 24 MWth of industrial heat thanks to two deep wells (2,500m depth) located in Rittershoffen (Alsace). The produced heat will be transferred to Beinheim through a 15 km-long pipe and used in a starch factory. The well will be stimulated in 2013 and the second well will then be drilled. Six new applications for exploration permits have been registered in 2012, so that the number of permit applications that are being examined by the ministry for mines amounts to 18. Five exploration permits are currently valid, including the two ones issued in 2011 (Lauterbourg and Wissembourg, Alsace). In the overseas department the important 2012 actions were: Additional surface exploration is being performed on Martinique island, including geophysics (Figure 10.4). Surface exploration has started in Vieux-Habitants, which is located south of Bouillante in Guadeloupe island. The Interreg project Caribbean Geothermal has officially started. This 8.5 M project aims to accelerate geothermal development in the entire Caribbean region. The exploration drilling on Dominica island, funded by the French Agency for Development, has been performed and the results are promising. The expected potential exceeds the local demand of this independent island located between Guadeloupe and Martinique islands, so an electric interconnection with surrounding islands is being considered National Programme In 2009, France set a target of 23% of renewable energies in its energy mix by This requires an additional annual 20 million toe of renewable energies to be produced by 2020, with 50% of the additional production expected from renewable heat and 50% from renewable electricity. 3

4 Figure Overview of realized and planned geothermal operations in the Dogger aquifer in the Parisarea ( ). (Courtesty of and BRGM) Figure 10.3 Drilling operations at Plessis-Robinson (Paris basin), in a dense urban area. (Courtesy of and BRGM) Figure 10.4 Gravimetric measurements coupled with GPS positioning in Martinique island. (Courtesy of and BRGM) 4

5 Ground source heat pumps: the installed capacity is growing very slowly, so the pace must increase to reach the target. To reduce energy demand, one main measure was to set a new standard for energy consumption in new buildings at a level of 50 kwh/m 2 /year. This requires replacing electric heating with, e.g., heat pumps. But the rules attached to this thermal regulation are at the end encouraging gas and biomass in a more evident way than heat pumps, so that the heat pump market has decreased for Figure 10.5 Objectives for future development of geothermal heat in France. The objectives for geothermal heat in 2012 and 2020 were defined in 2009 (Figure 10.5): Direct use: from 1.5 TWh in 2006 to 2.3 TWh in 2012 and 5.8 TWh in Geothermal heat pumps: from 1.0 TWh in 2006 to 3.9 TWh in 2012 and 6.6 TWh in That means two million households using ground-source heat pumps in Geothermal electricity is expected to reach 80 MW in France in 2020, with two objectives: Provide French West Indies and La Réunion with decarbonized energy by replacing the thermal electricity production at a reasonable cost; the 2020 objective for these islands being 50% renewables instead of 23% at a national level, because the current production is mainly from fossil fuel. Acquire good experience with EGS projects to develop this energy in a larger way by In 2011, a strategic geothermal roadmap was published by ADEME (the French Agency for Environment and Energy). It describes the challenges and issues of the geothermal sector, gives a 2020 vision, and identifies the technical and scientific barriers to define the R&D priorities and the need for demonstration operations. Progress varies considerably among the various geothermal uses: Electricity: many projects are emerging on the mainland (combined heat and power); but fewer are planned for the overseas regions, due to a less favourable framework (notably, the feed-in tariff). Direct use: a few installations are made each year in the Paris basin, which is encouraging but not sufficient. To reach the objective, the number of installations made in the Paris basin must increase and other projects must be launched in a variety of aquifers and geological contexts. A major need is clarification of the regulation for ground source heat pumps. Procedures for shallow geothermal projects are currently unclear, and may be either very onerous, or non-existent. In addition, the environmental requirements are not defined. Consequently, work is being done on regulatory procedures, professional standards and the certification of drillers. Unfortunately, the new regulation is not expected before late Industry Status & Market Development French industry covers all aspects of geothermal: turbine and heat pump manufacturers, surface and subsurface engineering companies, drillers, etc. In 2010, most of them gathered into a national geothermal association called AFPG, in addition to the existing SER which represents all renewable energies. In December 2012, AFPG organized the second edition of the French Geothermal Days, a two-day conference and exhibition. A directory of the French geothermal players has been published in 2012 by the French renewable energy association (SER). Major constraints apply to the heat pump market, with two important factors being: The relatively low cost of gas affects the profitability of shallow geothermal projects, especially for heat only applications (housing). The new regulatory scheme for energy efficiency in buildings is based on primary energy and does not consider the emitted greenhouse gases or the consequences on the national trade balance; a coefficient of 2.58 is applied to electricity (1 electrical kwh equals to 2.58 thermal kwh) making heat pumps less competitive than they could be. A more balanced approach should be included in the future standard. A Renewable Heat Fund ( Fonds chaleur renouvelable ) was established in 2009 to fund projects related to industry, collective housing, and commercial buildings. About 1.2 billion was allocated to cover all renewable energies for the period. The aim is to fund the difference between 5

6 Geothermal Project Type Table 10.2 Geothermal projects and funding for Number of funded projects Quantity of produced renewable energy (toe/yr) Amount of the subsidy given by ADEME (k ) Deep geothermal ,692 6,918 Shallow aquifers ,346 Borehole heat exchangers ,403 Waste water ,909 3,817 TOTAL ,991 14,484 a renewable heat project and a reference solution, generally using gas. Funding of geothermal projects, including development of heating networks and subsidies for feasibility studies, is now well established (Table 10.2). Several other measures to develop heating networks have been implemented since 2010 (see the 2010 GIA Annual Report). A system of energy saving certificates also encourages suppliers to promote energy savings. A 26% tax reduction exists for individual housing, covering the heat pump and the geothermal heat exchanger. The 2011 rate was 36% but all renewable energy supports have decreased. In addition, there are zero-interest loans and an energy saving certificate scheme. An important incentive for the development of geothermal projects is an appropriate risk mitigation scheme. Two separate public schemes exist in France, one for deep geothermal (managed by SAF Environnement ) and one for shallow (covering only operations on aquifers and called Aquapac). Both cover short term (initial flow rate and temperature) and long term (exploitability of the resource over 20 years) risks; but the insured sums are very different: 4.2 M for the deep projects and 115 k for the shallow ones. The two funds are supported jointly by public authorities and by the project owners. There are currently no such schemes for electricity development. For electricity, the main support is the new feed-in tariff initiated in July Geothermal electricity is now bought at an increased price of 130 /MWh in the overseas departments (instead of 100 /MWh) and 200 /MWh on the mainland. A bonus is given if the co-produced heat is also used. This has resulted in many companies emerging to manage deep geothermal projects, above all on the mainland. The support scheme for overseas department should be reexamined Research, Development & Demonstration French research covers the entire range of geothermal topics, especially EGS, using the pilot plant at Soultz-sous- Forêts. The 3 rd phase of the Soultz R&D programme is ongoing, focusing on exploitation, monitoring, and determination of the life time of such geothermal projects. The 4 th phase is being discussed. After two calls for projects on all research domains in France, 171 Laboratories of excellence have been awarded. The G-Eau-Thermie Profonde Laboratory received its official quality label in March Based in Alsace, it will focus on deep geothermal energy and receive a 33 million funding on an 8-year period. An Institute of Excellence for Carbon-Free Energies called GeodEnergies has been awarded. Based in Orléans, it will work on three industrial sectors associated with subsurface levels: CO2 storage, energy storage and geothermal energy (heat and electricity). Besides these two major decisions, the main part of the national R&D budget for geothermal energy is managed by ADEME, with a part of the upstream research funded by ANR (national agency for research) and technological innovation funded by FUI (fund for industrial clusters). Thanks to ADEME, some R&D is also conducted on conventional high enthalpy, notably at Bouillante. Research on low enthalpy consists of resource characterization, modelling, environmental issues and underground thermal energy storage. R&D work on ground source heat pumps and geothermal heat exchangers is also pursued with the aim of optimising the whole system and testing innovative concepts, such as combining various renewable energies and underground thermal energy storage. ANR funded Gecko project, focused on systems using energy piles, and FUI funded 6

7 Micro-Geo project, which aims at developing a low-cost solution for low energy houses. In late 2011, based on the strategic roadmap, the French government called for proposals to fund innovative deep geothermal heat and/or power generation demonstration projects. The proposals have been submitted in March 2012 but the results are not expected before French industry funded research is conducted on equipment (thermodynamic cycles, pumps, etc.), with some investment also dedicated to geothermal exploration or exploitation; however, the amount of funding is unknown. In addition, several national technological clusters have been established to develop collaborative industry and research institute R&D projects, and include: on the mainland, and exploration or production wells will hopefully be drilled. The selection and funding of deep geothermal demonstration projects will give new references to the French industry and open new perspectives. Exploration drilling in Dominica is expected to be followed by a geothermal plant project. The regulatory framework for shallow geothermal projects will be clarified and the thermal regulation will perhaps be adapted. The question of the extension of the Renewable Heat Fund scheme after 2013 will be raised. Avenia, based in Aquitaine, deals notably with deep geothermal applications. Synergile aims at developing renewable energies in the overseas department. S2E2 (Orléans) deals with smart buildings. Advancity for smart cities. Tenerrdis for several renewables. Derbi for heat storage. Dream for water and environmental impacts Geothermal Education The education programs deal mainly with ground source heat pumps, as this sector will hire the majority of people involved in geothermal energy. Initial training is being developed by universities. ADEME funds a part of the short training sessions targeting people already working in the building sector. Figure 10.6 Drilling of GRT-1 well in Rittershoffen (Alsace). (Courtesy and ECOGI) 10.6 Future Outlook For 2013 and beyond, several major geothermal efforts can be expected: The number of deep operations for direct heat use is expected to continue to increase on the mainland. In particular, the second well will be drilled in Rittershoffen (Figure 10.6) and the ECOGI project will continue. Many permits for geothermal exploration will be delivered, especially for electricity or CHP production 10.7 References and Websites ADEME (2011) Strategic geothermal roadmap. ADEME (2012) French know-how in the field of geothermal energy District heating and electricity generation systems. AFPG (2012) La géothermie en France Etude du marché en Boissavy C., Vernier R., Laplaige, P. (2013) Geothermal Energy Use, Country Update for France. European Geothermal Congress Pisa, Italy. 7

8 Boissier F., Desplan A., Laplaige, P. (2010) France Country Update. World Geothermal Congress Bali, Indonesia. EurObserv'ER (2012) The State of Renewable Energies in Europe 2012 Edition. MEDDE (2010) France National Renewable Energy Action Plan. MEDDE (2013) Panorama Energie Climat Edition ADEME (French Agency for Energy and Environment) and BRGM (France s leading public institution in Earth Science field) have created a general geothermal website for France: The list of valid high temperature geothermal permits is published on the following website: Authors Romain Vernier Geothermal Energy Department BRGM 3, Av. Claude Guillemin BP ORLEANS Cedex 2 FRANCE r.vernier@brgm.fr Philippe Laplaige ADEME Centre de Sophia Antipolis 500 route des Lucioles Valbonne FRANCE philippe.laplaige@ademe.fr The website of Interreg project Caribbean Geothermal gathers information about the whole region: 8

9 To Find Out More If you are interested in learning more about the IEA Geothermal Programme, or you wish to join the GIA: Contact the IEA-GIA Secretary Dr Mike Mongillo IEA-GIA Secretary c/o GNS Wairakei Research Centre Private Bag 2000 Taupo NEW ZEALAND Tel: ; Fax: OR Visit the IEA-GIA Website IEA Geothermal Supporting and Advancing Worldwide Sustainable Geothermal Energy Use Through International Cooperation Cover Photo: Courtesy of Lothar Wissing The IEA Geothermal Implementing Agreement (GIA), also known as the Implementing Agreement for a Cooperative Programme on Geothermal Energy Research and Technology, functions within a framework created by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Views, findings and publications of IEA GIA do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or of all its individual member countries. 9