A European Solution for Geothermal Energy Projects in Portugal

Transcription

1 D4.2 Awareness seminar in Lisbon (proceedings) Synopsis A European Solution for Geothermal Energy Projects in Portugal Workshop Organized by IENE and ARENA The 2nd GEOFAR Workshop took place on November 5 th in the Sana Lisboa Hotel, in Lisbon, Portugal, and was organized by the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IE- NE) and the Regional Agency for Energy and Environment of Azores (ARENA). A European Solution for Geothermal Energy Projects in Portugal was the topic of this joined ARENA-IENE workshop, which was attended by approximately 40 participants from several companies and institutions, including state organizations, local authorities and private companies involved in geothermal projects in Portugal and Europe. A local TV network also covered the workshop. See here: The workshop opened with a video message by Mr. Costis Stambolis, Executive Director of IENE, followed by the speech of Mr. Nuno Domingues, President of ARENA who referred to the importance of geothermal energy in Portugal not only for electricity purposes but also for direct uses. After the salutation of Mr.

2 Dominguez, a video documentary on geothermal energy prepared by IENE was also shown. Following that, a short presentation of the GEOFAR project was made by Mr. Diogo Caetano of ARENA. Mr. Caetano explained the main targets of the GEOFAR project which deals with the application and promotion of geothermal energy in Europe. Mr. Caetano focused his attention to the main goals of GEOFAR such as to propose workable solutions and to raise awareness on geothermal energy among decision makers, especially at regional level, in order to help boost new investments. Mr. Carlos Bicudo da Ponte s (SOGEO Geothermal Society of Azores) speech on Geothermal Energy Situation at Azores: A Successful Case Study, focused on the projects that are already underway in the Azores as well as on those which are scheduled to be carried out. Mr. Bicundo da Ponte said that SOGEO exploits and develop the Ribeira Grande Geothermal Field on São Miguel island (Azores archipelago Portugal), using the heat of the geothermal fluid for power generation. SOGEO exploits geothermal resources on the northern flank of the Fogo volcano, where it owns and operates two geothermal power plants Ribeira Grande and Pico Vermelho with a combined capacity of 23 MW. In the scope of the new investment projects on the use of geothermal resources, SOGEO intends to contract all of the drilling services necessary for the workover of the geothermal wells CL2 and CL4 and for the drilling of the directional geothermal well CL8 in the Ribeira Grande Geothermal Field; there is the possibility of execution of additional geothermal wells, up to a maximum of three with an expected maximum depth of m, at the option of the Awarding Entity.

3 Mr. Nicholas Sofianos, European Projects Co-ordinator of IENE, presented GeoRIMI as a solution for geothermal investments. GeoRiMi, a Geothermal Risk Mitigation Scheme, has been developed by GEOFAR in order to provide subsidies and guarantees for the exploration and drilling phase of deep geothermal projects. GeoRIMI aims at covering the lack of information among decision makers and investors, but also in making up for inappropriate funding schemes. With the successful implementation of GeoRiMi, numerous geothermal energy projects can benefit from this innovative financial instrument that it is hoped it will sustainably boost the geothermal sector across Europe. The next speaker of the Workshop was Mr. Jose Martins de Carvalho, ISEP (Superior Engineering Institute of Porto) who gave an overview of geothermal energy developments in Portugal mainland. Although there is not high enthalpy in the Portugal mainland however the importance of geothermal energy in direct uses such as district heating was emphasized. Mr. Martins de Carvalho mentioned that a dozen of feasibility studies already carried out demonstrates adequate conditions for further operations. In the sedimentary basins, particularly in the Lisbon area where important heat consumers are located, Lower Cretaceous reservoirs with temperatures up to 50ºC are adequate for small multipurpose geothermal operations, but technical difficulties resulted in the stoppage of the only two existing operations. The already studied potential for developing geothermal heat pumps over proven aquifers is high all over the country. Mr. Carvalho was followed by Mr. by Luis Gomes, UBI (University of Beira Interior), whose subject was Low Enthalpy Geothermal Energy and Thermalism: The Case Study of Sao Pedro do Sul. Mr. Carvalho mentined that the Sao Pedro do Sul thermal springs are one of the most important low enthalpy geothermal areas in mainland Portugal. The water temperature at emergence points can reach values as high as 67{degrees}C with water flows of 10 l/s. Based on silica geothermometry, the regional heat flow density is estimated as 170 m W/m{sup 2}, and the heat production of the S. Pedro do Sul granite, that crops out in the region where the thermal springs are located, is about 11 {mu}w/m{sup 3}. These values allow an estimate that the depth of the geothermal reservoir is about 2,000 metres. The geothermal reservoir is fed by meteoric water that is heated to temperatures of about 130{degrees}C at 2,000 metres

4 depth. Then, the heated water flows to the surface through the Termas fault, mixing with colder water at shallow depths. GEOFAR s workshop A European Solution for Geothermal Energy Projects in Por tugal closed with a general discussion on the GEOFAR project and the prospects of geothermal energy in Europe. Conclusions Although geothermal resources in Portugal have been legally defined and regulated since 1976, shortly after the first middle-east oil crisis, attention for the rational exploitation of the these resources in mainland Portugal has only been apparent during the last ten years. Up to date several study projects for the inventory and assessment for the country`s geothermal resources are being run. Considerable help has been provided by the studies undertaken for hot water put to use in Portuguese spas and mineral water bottling facilities; these studies, some of them rather extensive and comprehensive, involve complete geological and chemical studies and preliminary correlation between the water geochemistry and the geological-structural units of the Portuguese territory. On the other hand the geothermal electricity plant in Azores is considered as a very successful example of electricity production in Europe. However some questions and conflicts are raised concerning the different policies that the government must follow in order to regulate the two different geothermal landscapes of Portugal that is in mainland with the low enthalpy geothermal potential and the Archipelagos regions with the high enthalpy potential.

5 Attachments: General Announcement Invitation Programme Participant List Presentations of Session 1 Presentations of Session 2 Diogo Caetano Carlos Bicudo da Ponte Nicholas Sofianos José Martins de Carvalho Luis Gomes The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.