Overview of the Current Activities of the European EGS Soultz Project: from Exploration to Electricity Production

Abstract

This paper reports a multinational approach to develop an Enhanced Geothermal System reservoir (EGS) in Europe. The pilot site is located at the French-German border in Soultz-sous-Forêts, France. Over two decades research and development have been carried out with French, German and Swiss governmental and European funding. The on-going Soultz project is now very close to the end of the pilot plant phase (2009). Then, a geothermal power plant constructing phase started in 2007 with the building of an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) plant having a net power capacity of 1,5MWe. Surface equipments (turbine, air cooling system, heat exchanger) as well as two different types of down-hole pumps were installed respectively on surface and in the production wells. Finally, we present the main milestones about the EGS reservoir and the on-going activities about this experimental power plant.