Status Report on Geothermal Energy Developments in Brazil

Abstract

An overview of government setting and policies of interest to geothermal developments is provided along with an updated assessment of geothermal resources and energy use in Brazil. The data base for resource assessment consists of thermal gradient and heat flow measurements at over 450 sites and hydrothermal and energy use data on thermal spring systems at 95 localities. The total resource base is estimated at 2,4x1025 Joules of which more than 50% is located in areas of sedimentary basins. A significant number of low temperature geothermal resources (with temperatures <900C) have been identified in the continental area. The potential for high temperature geothermal systems appears to be restricted to the Atlantic islands of Fernando de Noronha and Trindade. Of the available part of the resources, estimated at 5.2x1022 J, only a small fraction is being currently exploited. The total capacity of low temperature geothermal systems under economic exploitation is estimated at 362 MWt, while the annual energy use is estimated to be of the order of 6536 TJ. About a dozen of the spring systems account for the bulk of this capacity. Most of them are located in west central Brazil (in the states of Goi·s and Mato Grosso) and in the south (in the state of Santa Catarina). The potential for large scale exploitation of low temperature geothermal water for industrial use and space heating is considered to be significant in the central parts of the Paran· basin (situated at southern and southeastern Brazil), where cold winter seasons prevail under subtropical climate conditions.