Geothermal Potential in Spain and Support Schemes Necessary to Facilitate Geothermal Development

Abstract

The geothermal resources of Spain can be classifeid according to three broad system types: High enthalpy active volcanic resources in the Canary Islands; Low enthalpy hydrothermal resources in a number of locations across the Mainland and Petrothermal resources at selected locations on the Mainland. The comprehensive name for such a resource and that used in this study is EGS. Despite the large potential there ist no geothermal power generation at present and only 20MWth of geothermal heat production. In Spain, power generation from geothermal resources is currently promoted through a feed-in tariff. The feed-in tariff level of 73,56 €/MWh ist less then the EU-average for geothermal feed-in tariffs of 98 €/MWh and less than half that in countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic.