A New Round of Survey and Assessment of Geothermal Resources in China

Abstract

Along with the transfer from planning economy to marketing economy in China, the national input for geothermal resources exploration reduced a lot. Geothermal resources have great potential for confronting the necessity of change for energy structure in China. But it is rather obvious that we have not sufficient available base for geothermal development requirement. Even though the Yangyi geothermal field explored in Tibet, but it still meeting various difficulties during the process of geothermal power plant construction. It shows the urgency for a new round of geothermal survey and assessment in the country. Ministry of Land and Resources has started to implement the plan for new round of survey and assessment of geothermal resources. It will be completed within 5 years from 2012. The primary mission is: 1) survey and measurement for hot springs and geothermal wells, and then for the resources assessment; 2) exploration demonstration for high temperature geothermal anomaly area; 3) development demonstration for selected medium-low temperature geothermal fields; 4) economic and social benefit evaluation and ecological environmental impact; 5) shallow geothermal energy survey and evaluation. It could be expected that the new achievement would serve for the demands of accelerating geothermal development in time.