Geothermal Europe: Geothermie Unterhaching

The next project in the cycle "Geothermal Europe" is complex solution in Unterhaching in Germany - once named as "geothermal model for communities" by Mr. Otto Schily, former German Minister of Interior.

Let's summarize basic facts about Unterhaching project:

• it exploits the most effective geothermal well in Germany with depth of more than 3.300 meters (production well 3.446m, injection well 3.350, distance between them about 3,5 km, coming to/from underground reservoir of a length of 4,5 km),
• the volume of geothermal water in production well is 150 liters per second,
• the temperature of geothermal water rises to 122 Celsius degrees,
• altogether, Geothermie Unterhaching uses more than 28 kilometers of pipes - including geothermal wells, hot water pipes and other pipe-infrastructure for hot water and steam distribution,
• all facilities uses Kalina geothermal cycle,
• the power of available thermal water rises up to 38MW (installed power capacity for electricity production is 3,36 MW - almost 10 percent),
• in comparison with fossil fuel incineration, installed geothermal steam electricity turbines save approx. 30 million tons of CO2 per year,
• it combines heating system for municipality with geothermal power plant,
• complex was put into operation in October 2007.

On picture in the left there is an illustration of geothermal conditions in Unterhaching and in near municipalities. As one can see, it is located on geological anomaly, which enables to use whether classical geothermal technologies or ones belonging to so called EGS segment (like that one in Unterhaching). (Source of picture: Geothermie Unterhaching)

As one can see, geothermal projects can offer interesting energy solution on a small scale. Hoping that EGS approach will be innovated in a short time, this type of solution could serve as a model for municipalities also on areas, where there is necessary to drill much deeper than 3,5 km.