Hybrid Geothermal and Wind Power Generation System Using Geothermal Waste Water as a Heat Source

Abstract

Increasing demand and higher cost for energy and declining fossil fuels in near future, makes research and development on renewable energies feasible. Utilization of renewable energy sources are limited by their availability and efficiency. There is absolute exergy loss in most of geothermal power plants from separated brine; low temperature geothermal fields are also widely distributed worldwide. Several attempts have been made to utilize low temperature geothermal fields. In this paper the novel idea of hybrid power generation system has been proposed that can be characterized as simple and renewable method to achieve sustainable utilization of renewable resources. The new hybrid system will benefit from solar chimney to produce electricity with windmill, and geothermal heat will be used as a heat source to achieve desirable air speed inside the chimney. Results are promising and it seems that suggested idea is competitive with other renewable energy sources, further studies are necessary to achieve more realistic results to start actual project.