Costs of Co2-Mitigation by Deployment of Enhanced Geothermal Systems Plants

Abstract

The paper refers recent investigations on costs of EGS and the CO2-emissions providing energy with EGS based on life cycle analyses. So, options for favorable CO2-mitigation costs by deployment of EGS can be shown. In addition, a cost reduction potential exists in planning and designing such systems. For a worldwide deployment of EGS substituting mainly coal fired power plants, the CO2-mitigation costs will be derived from estimating the specific energy production costs and the probable CO2-emissions of EGS-plants using the results from life cycle assessment calculations. The conclusion is that significant CO2-emissions in the order of gigatons in the year 2050 can be mitigated at costs competitive with other CO2-mitigation strategies.