Direct Geothermal Energy Demonstration Projects for Victoria, Australia

Abstract

It has been estimated that there are over 3 million individual direct geothermal energy systems operating around the world providing heating and cooling for buildings. However, the various guidelines which have been developed for the determination of the length of ground loops are generally conservative so that there is little risk of these systems failing to deliver enough energy. Therefore, ground loop installations have generally been over-designed leading to systems which are neither as cost effective nor competitive as they could be. To make direct geothermal systems more cost effective and commercially attractive, particularly in Victoria and Australia, the Department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne has started an extensive research project aimed at understanding the ground processes so that installation and operation costs can be reduced. Although the overall project involves a number of elements, a key component is the installation of instrumented direct geothermal systems in several buildings throughout the state to provide data on performance for a range of different conditions. The project aims to make the technology an everyday sustainable alternative to conventional systems to economically and effectively heat and cool buildings in Victoria.