Status of Geothermal Use and Resources in Europe

Abstract

The European status of geothermal energy use is presented. The situation varies from country to country according to the geothermal technology that best suits the available natural resource. The spectrum varies from power generation from high enthalpy resources (Iceland, Italy, Greece, Turkey), to direct use of hydrothermal resources in sedimentary basins (France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Hungary, Romania, and others). Shallow geothermal is available everywhere and is mostly harnessed by ground source heat pump installations. Geothermal power generation in Europe currently stands at 1060 MW installed capacity, surpassing fast the target of 1000 MW set forth for 2010 by the White Paper from 1997 (Eurobserv?ER, 2005). The target value of 2000 MW for 2010 from the Ferrara Declaration (EGEC, 1999) seems not out of reach. Geothermal heating from medium to low temperature source installed capacity exceeds 6600 MWt and has a increasing trend of about 50 MWt per year. This growth rate could lead to a doubling of the forecast capacity of 5000 MWt by 2010 set forth by the White Paper (Eurobserv?ER, 2005). Shallow geothermal energy, ground source heat pumps (GSHP), installation growth rate is even more spectacular, and a capacity of 8000 MWt could be reached if 10% growth per year is maintained (Rybach, 2006). Summing up, geothermal energy scored well in Europe and has an enormous potential. For the heating sector, the deep and shallow energy production combined is bound for exceeding even the ambitious target of 15000 MWt set forth in the Ferrara Declaration (EGEC, 1999).