Geothermal Energy Use, Country Update for Lithuania

Abstract

Deep wells in Lithuania were drilled in the 20th century. As established by numerous deep drillings, there are huge resources of mineral water in the entire territory of the country. The Cambrian sandy aquifer is the most extensive saline aquifer: salinity increases from 0.5 g/l to 200 g/l with increasing depths and temperature from +15oC to +95oC. The second Lower Devonian aquifer contains salinity from 0.5 g/l to 95 g/l and temperatures from +10oC to +45oC. The third Middle Devonian geothermal aquifer has water with a saline content of up to 45 g/l and temperatures from +8oC to +35oC. All mentioned aquifers have a potential in geothermal balneology and the first steps in this direction are already completed.
Data on the operation of the Klaipeda Geothermal Demonstration Plant (KGDP) and the installed capacity of ground-source heat pump systems are presented in this paper.
Two case studies are discussed – one already implemented, the second as a possibility for the future:
first, An industrial building built according to BREEAM standards;
second, A combination of water-power plant with heat pump.