Geothermal Direct Uses in Italy: Country Update for WGC2015

Abstract

This paper deals with the application of geothermal energy for direct uses in Italy during the period 2010-2014. After a brief overview of the national geothermal reserves, resources and potential, the article shows the evolution of geothermal direct applications during the five-years period of reference. The values are split into six main sectors: space conditioning (including all HVAC systems), thermal balneology, agricultural uses, aquaculture, industrial processes, and minor uses. The contribution of geothermal heat pumps within each sector is also presented and discussed. Moreover, the criteria and the assumption made for the formulation of the statistics are described, pointing out the main issues concerning the data collection and the processing methodology. Finally, the paper attempts to forecast a development scenario for direct uses in Italy in the next 5 years (2015-2020).