Direct Utilization of Geothermal Energy from Coast to Coast: a Review of Current Applications and Research in Canada

Abstract

Geothermal energy in Canada is mostly used for two applications; heating and cooling buildings with geothermal heat pumps, and hot water source for bathing. The current status and state of the art related to both applications has been reviewed to provide an overview of geothermal energy utilization in Canada. Geothermal heat pump systems have been installed across the country with a total capacity estimated to 1,458 MWt and annual geothermal energy use of 11,338 TJ. The largest markets are in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British-Columbia. In the residential sector, which accounts for about 60% of the installed capacity, approximately 56% of the systems are horizontal closed-loops and 24% are vertical closed-loops. The industry has experienced a growth rate on the order of 40% during 2006 to 2008 and has severely decreased in 2010. Installations in 2013 were roughly half those recorded during the peak of 2009. More than 140 hot springs of temperature higher than 10°C have been inventoried in the Western Canadian Cordillera. Commercial exploitation of hot springs and thermal waters pumped from a deep aquifer, for bathing and heating pools, is taking place at thirteen locations in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and British-Columbia as well as Yukon Territory. The total capacity and the annual geothermal energy use of the commercial bathing facilities are approximately 8.8 MWt and 277 TJ. Flow rates and temperatures ranging from 1 to 30 L/s and 40 to 57°C have been inventoried for those commercial hot springs. Research has been carried out to support the growth of the geothermal industry, which has a high potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A total of 765 scientific publications related to geothermal topics and having one or more Canadian affiliation(s) have been inventoried from 1990 to 2013. The generally increasing number of Canadian geothermal publications since 2001 indicates growing interest in this field. The use of heat pumps makes geothermal utilization in Canada a nationwide economic activity while hot springs, exploited in western Canada and marginally contributing to the Canadian geothermal energy budget, remain a feature of strong interest.