Solution: Geothermal energy: planning systems for heat generation or cooling

Geothermal energy: Planning systems for heat generation or cooling

The use of energy stored in the earth’s interior in the form of heat is called geothermal energy. Although 99% of the earth’s volume is hotter than 1000°C, only a fraction of this can be technically utilized. The developments cover the depth range from a few meters (horizontal collectors) to currently approx. 5 km (hydro- and petrogeothermal energy). Underground heat exchangers are needed to tap the heat required in solid rock or deep water. These are realized as closed systems (e.g. horizontal or vertical tubing circuits installed in boreholes) or as open systems (groundwater or thermal water boreholes).

The main application is heat recovery. However, geothermal systems can also be used to produce or cool electrical energy (heat process in combination with district heating). Geothermal energy is also playing an increasingly important role in the seasonal storage of heat underground. If the geothermal energy is available at temperatures below 30°C, the heat must be processed with the aid of heat pumps. The heat can be used directly by means of heat pumps, but it can also be converted into energy by means of combined heat and power generation, for example.