Geothermal Development in Denmark, Country Update 2005

Abstract

In the 1980's DONG drilled 4 deep geothermal wells in the Northwestern part of Denmark and erected a geothermal pilot plant in Thisted producing heat from a 45?C Gassum sandstone aquifer. However, empowered by the Danish government, the district heating energy industry focused on establishing combined heat and power plants. This helped to develop district-heating networks, but it left no demand for geothermal heat.
From mid 1990's the competitive power of geothermal heating started to increase, primarily due to the political focus on the use of non-CO2 producing heating sources and an increased taxation on fossil fuels. Since WGC 2000, the level of geothermal activities has increased.
The plant in Thisted has continued to produce heat with low operating costs using absorption heat pumps and it was expanded to extract 7 MW from 200 m3/h of the 15% saline geothermal water in 2001. Preparations for a demonstration plant in Copenhagen, to produce 14 MW heat from a 73 ?C, 19% saline Bunter sandstone aquifer, were initiated same year. Production is expected to begin in November 2004.
An assessment of the potential for new plants in Denmark has been initiated. Based on this assessment DONG VE and the local district heating companies will be able to investigate the possibilities for an increased use of geothermal heat.