GEOTHERM-2

GEOTHERM-2

GEOTHERM-2 (May 2013- April 2016; extended October 2016) conducts cross-disciplinary research towards the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). It represents the second phase of GEOTHERM (2009-2012), a comprehensive program of basic research on key aspects of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The project was conceived in order to provide a bridge from GEOTHERM to the establishment of the Swiss Competence Center Energy Research-Supply of Energy (SCCER-SoE), and runs now in close cooperation and synergy with SCCER-SoE. GEOTHERM-2 conducts cross-disciplinary research targeted to the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The research addresses aspects concerning the geomechanical characterization of reservoirs, the numerical simulation of a reservoir creation, the long term effects of geochemical reactions on permeability and heat extraction, the assessment and management of the induced seismicity risk, the social acceptance and comparative assessment of the risks inherent to an EGS project, and the analysis of geothermal energy usage in cities, with the case study of Lausanne. The project is co-funded with the Competence Center Energy and Mobility of the ETH Domain (CCEM).

Project Leader

Prof. Stefan Wiemer (Swiss Seismological Service)

Participants (alphabetical order)

  • Dr. Peter Bayer (Engineering Geology/Geological Institute; ETHZ)
  • Dr. Peter Burgherr (Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis ; Paul Scherrer Institut )
  • Dr. Thomas Driesner (Institut für Geochemie und Petrologie; ETHZ)
  • Dr. Keith Evans (Engineering Geology/Geological Institute; ETHZ)
  • Prof. Dr. Domenico Giardini (Institute of Geophysics; ETHZ)
  • Prof. Dr. Christoph A. Heinrich (Institut für Geochemie und Petrologie; ETHZ)
  • Prof. Dr. Patrick Jenny (Institut für Fluiddynamik ; ETHZ)
  • Prof. Dr. Lyesse Laloui (Soil Mechanics Laboratory; EPFL)
  • Prof. Dr. François Maréchal (Laboratoire d'énergétique industrielle; EPFL)
  • Dr. Michael Stauffacher (Institute for Environmental Decisions; ETHZ)
  • Dr. Laurent Tacher (Soil Mechanics Laboratory; EPFL)

Progress Report

The Progress Report 2014 for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is available here.

Modules

Publications

Conference Presentations