The Implications of Urban Land-Use Standards for Geothermal District Heating Feasibilities

Abstract

The relationship between typical urban land use standards and geothermal district heating feasibilities is examined. It is suggested that district heating, as a major commercialization mode for geothermal energy, will be considerably impeded outside of central business districts by land use standards which are generally too low in density for cost effective geothermal distribution ; and by locational and spatial inconsistencies between resource production areas and overlying land use energy requirements. A case example is given for Klamath Falls, Oregon, where a geothermal district heating system is presently under construction. A majority of the municipal residential density standards are calculated as being marginally within minimum thermal load density requirements for district heating. As a result, expansion of the system beyond the central business district many depend largely on revised land use standards and patterns. Recommendations are suggested for employing such revised land use standards and patterns as incentives of district heating, including higher allowable residential densities, mixed use zoning for higher load factors, and locational designations based on a geothermal reservoir heat load match among land uses.