IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i4p1751-d1594894.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluation of the Endowment of Geothermal Resources and Its Impact on Regional Industrial Structure: A Case Study of Qinghai Province (China)

Author

Listed:
  • Zhen Zhao

    (Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    Qinghai 906 Engineering Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd., Xining 810007, China)

  • Guangxiong Qin

    (Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    Qinghai 906 Engineering Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd., Xining 810007, China)

  • Baizhong Yan

    (College of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China)

  • Chuanlong Han

    (College of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China)

Abstract

Geothermal resources are considered a clean energy source, and their development plays a key role in achieving sustainable development. This energy contributes to environmental protection, energy security, and economic growth, while also helping to alleviate energy poverty. Qinghai Province, rich in geothermal resources, holds significant potential for development. First, this study evaluated the geothermal resources in the uplifted mountainous regions of Qinghai Province using the volumetric method and analyzed their spatial distribution. Next, the degree of geothermal resource endowment was measured, and the relationship between geothermal resources and industrial structure was analyzed. Finally, the Vector Autoregression (VAR) model and impulse response function were applied to assess the impact and duration of geothermal resources on changes in the industrial structure from 2000 to 2020. Geothermal resources in Qinghai Province exhibit significant regional variation, with the northern and western regions being particularly rich in geothermal resources, peaking at 3.58 × 10 17 J in Banma County. Geothermal resources in Qinghai are predominantly utilized for power generation, averaging 42.20% of energy consumption. The interplay between geothermal resource use and industrial structure is intensifying, notably in secondary and tertiary sectors. Initially restrictive, the influence of industrial structure on geothermal resource use is projected to become facilitative as clean energy technologies advance. This study revealed the relationship between geothermal resources and the local industrial structure in Qinghai Province, providing a scientific basis for the sustainable and efficient development and utilization of these resources. It contributed to the long-term sustainability of geothermal resource exploitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhen Zhao & Guangxiong Qin & Baizhong Yan & Chuanlong Han, 2025. "Evaluation of the Endowment of Geothermal Resources and Its Impact on Regional Industrial Structure: A Case Study of Qinghai Province (China)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:4:p:1751-:d:1594894
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/4/1751/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/4/1751/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiulong Liu & Shuangbao Han & Hong Xiang & Dongdong Yue & Fengtian Yang, 2023. "The Resource Potential and Zoning Evaluation for Deep Geothermal Resources of the Dongying Formation in Tianjin Binhai New Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Haiwen Chen & Feng Zheng & Rongcai Song & Chao Zhang & Ben Dong & Jiahao Zhang & Yan Zhang & Tao Wu, 2024. "Geothermal Resource Assessment and Development Recommendations for the Huangliu Formation in the Central Depression of the Yinggehai Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-24, August.
    3. Miao, Lin & Yan, Hui & Liu, Ming, 2024. "Power increase potential of coal-fired power plant assisted by the heat release of the thermal energy storage system: Restrictions and thermodynamic performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    4. Zuo, Yinhui & Sun, Yigao & Zhang, Luquan & Zhang, Chao & Wang, Yingchun & Jiang, Guangzheng & Wang, Xiaoguang & Zhang, Tao & Cui, Longqing, 2024. "Geothermal resource evaluation in the Sichuan Basin and suggestions for the development and utilization of abandoned oil and gas wells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    5. Hu, Ziyuan & Gao, Zongjun & Xu, Xiqiang & Fang, Shaoyan & Zhou, Liangyu & Ji, Deshuai & Li, Fuquan & Feng, Jianguo & Wang, Min, 2022. "Suitability zoning of buried pipe ground source heat pump and shallow geothermal resource evaluation of Linqu County, Shandong Province, China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 1430-1439.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xie, Yiwei & Hu, Pingfang & Li, Siyi, 2024. "Development of a doubly-fed compound control for hybrid ground source heat pump systems in hot summer and cold winter areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PA).
    2. Wengang Qu & Chao Yang & Hui Qian & Panpan Xu & Yanyan Gao & Leiqiang Wei & Qi Long, 2024. "Geothermal Condition Investigation and Resource Potential Evaluation of Shallow Geothermal Energy in the Yinchuan Area, Ningxia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-30, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:4:p:1751-:d:1594894. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.