Think GeoEnergy
Summary
Ireland is not a country typically associated with geothermal energy. It has no active volcanism, no established deep geothermal industry, and has a relatively small market for geothermal heating and cooling. Yet, there is an opportunity for Ireland to become a model for deploying geothermal in a region that is not traditionally considered a fit for geothermal.
The country has one of Europe’s most fossil-fuel-dependent heating sectors, growing pressure on its electricity grid, ambitious decarbonization targets, and a developing district heating market. At the same time, shallow geothermal resources are available across almost the entire country, while ongoing research is improving understanding of deeper resources.
For Rory Dunphy, Chairperson of the Geothermal Association of Ireland (GAI), the opportunity is therefore less about proving that geothermal can work and more about creating the conditions for it to scale.
Dunphy points to a recent geothermal feasibility study by Dublin Airport Authority as evidence of growing interest. He also highlights the possibility of adding underground thermal storage to systems such as the Tallaght District Heating Network, where heat from an Amazon data centre is already being recovered. Storing excess summer heat underground could allow waste heat to be retained until it is needed later in the year.
Continue Reading
#News
#GeothermalandGeo-Exchange