A Tool for Planing Geothermal Development: Atlas of Geothermal Resources in Europe

Abstract

Geothermal resources for most European countries are assembled in the recently completed Atlas of Geothermal Resources in Europe, a companion volume to the Atlas of Geothermal Resources in the European Community, Austria and Switzerland. The participating countries are: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. A volumetric heat content model for porous reservoirs assuming exploitation of geothermal energy by a doublet or a singlet system is the basis of the resource calculation. Maps of depth, thickness, temperature and resources characterize the geothermal reservoir. The assessment methodology is simple and relies on a small number of parameters. In that way, evaluation of regions with very limited data coverage is possible. An illustrative example in the eastern North German Basin is shown. The maps presented in the atlas permit a first order evaluation of the geothermal potential in terms of technical and economic viability. This uniform procedure applied to all countries and regions permits comparisons and serves as a guide to setting priorities and planing geothermal development. This atlas also aids the search for appropriate objects for international cooperations in geothermal exploration in Europe.