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Quantifying the technical geothermal potential from shallow borehole heat exchangers at regional scale

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  • Walch, Alina
  • Mohajeri, Nahid
  • Gudmundsson, Agust
  • Scartezzini, Jean-Louis

Abstract

The extraction of shallow geothermal energy using borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) is a promising approach for decarbonisation of the heating sector. However, a dense deployment of BHEs may lead to thermal interference between neighboring boreholes and thereby to over-exploitation of the heat capacity of the ground. Here we propose a novel method to estimate the technical potential of BHEs which takes into account potential thermal interference as well as the available area for BHE installations. The method combines simulation of the long-term heat extraction through BHEs for a range of borehole spacings and depths and includes an optimisation step to maximise the heat extraction. Application of the method to a case study in western Switzerland, from an available area of 284km2, yields an annual technical potential of 4.65TWh and a maximum energy density of 15.5kWh/m2. The results also suggest that, for a minimum borehole spacing of 5m and a maximum borehole depth of 200m, the cumulative installed borehole depth should not exceed 2km/ha. The estimated technical potential can be used by urban planners for the techno-economic analysis of BHE systems and by policy makers to develop strategies that encourage the use of shallow geothermal energy.

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  • Walch, Alina & Mohajeri, Nahid & Gudmundsson, Agust & Scartezzini, Jean-Louis, 2021. "Quantifying the technical geothermal potential from shallow borehole heat exchangers at regional scale," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(P1), pages 369-380.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:165:y:2021:i:p1:p:369-380
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2020.11.019
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    5. Zhang, Tiansheng & Liu, Chun & Bayer, Peter & Zhang, Liwei & Gong, Xulong & Gu, Kai & Shi, Bin, 2022. "City-wide monitoring and contributing factors to shallow subsurface temperature variability in Nanjing, China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 1105-1115.
    6. Luka Perković & Domagoj Leko & Amalia Lekić Brettschneider & Hrvoje Mikulčić & Petar S. Varbanov, 2021. "Integration of Photovoltaic Electricity with Shallow Geothermal Systems for Residential Microgrids: Proof of Concept and Techno-Economic Analysis with RES2GEO Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, March.
    7. Yang, Tianrun & Liu, Wen & Kramer, Gert Jan & Sun, Qie, 2021. "Seasonal thermal energy storage: A techno-economic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    8. Walch, Alina & Li, Xiang & Chambers, Jonathan & Mohajeri, Nahid & Yilmaz, Selin & Patel, Martin & Scartezzini, Jean-Louis, 2022. "Shallow geothermal energy potential for heating and cooling of buildings with regeneration under climate change scenarios," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    9. Miocic, Johannes M. & Krecher, Marc, 2022. "Estimation of shallow geothermal potential to meet building heating demand on a regional scale," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 629-640.
    10. Manz, Pia & Billerbeck, Anna & Kök, Ali & Fallahnejad, Mostafa & Fleiter, Tobias & Kranzl, Lukas & Braungardt, Sibylle & Eichhammer, Wolfgang, 2024. "Spatial analysis of renewable and excess heat potentials for climate-neutral district heating in Europe," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    11. Li, Xiang & Yilmaz, Selin & Patel, Martin K. & Chambers, Jonathan, 2023. "Techno-economic analysis of fifth-generation district heating and cooling combined with seasonal borehole thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    12. Korhonen, Kimmo & Markó, Ábel & Bischoff, Alan & Szijártó, Márk & Mádl-Szőnyi, Judit, 2023. "Infinite borehole field model—a new approach to estimate the shallow geothermal potential of urban areas applied to central Budapest, Hungary," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 263-274.

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