Which is the geothermal potential of our ground?
The indeed exploitable geothermal potential starting from ascending aqueous flow on a world level is comparable with the world electric production.
Thanks to the precision of its surveys, the angiogeology makes it possible to have today a much better idea of the potential of electric production world starting from natural aqueous flows of geothermal origin. Even if the exercise presented below makes it possible to obtain only one order of magnitude of the geothermal energy which can be extracted the subsoil on a world level, it confirms that the angiogeology is capable to make pass the production of electrical energy of geothermal origin at high speed. Underground water flows from which this electrical energy can be produced result from geothermal reservoirs. They are appeared as a beam of water arteries which occur with the leakage point (exurgence) of these geothermal reservoirs.
Produced estimates:
- want to be careful (what is reflected in the coefficients taken into account),
- do not concern geothermal the operating systems known as “improved” (“enhanced) founded on the flows forced within the hot and dry rocks; this technique (EGS/EGS) is strongly disadvised since an aqueous flow optimal exploitation to high enthalpy is made possible thanks to the angiogeoscopy,
- are founded on the assumption that flows efferent and related of the geothermal reservoirs correspond to the estimates produced for underground water flows on a world level.
We are quite conscious that these estimates do not correspond to those usually accepted in the mediums of geothermics. A better comprehension of the angiogeology will contribute inevitably to a revision of the usually allowed figures.
| Size | Quantity | Unit | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascending natural aqueous Flow of geothermal origin | 0.305 | kg/sec.km2 | This estimate - rather coarse - is based on the following product (that the angiogeology makes it possible to estimate) average density of the exurgence points (leakage points of the geothermal reservoirs) per unit of area X efferent medium flow (outgoing) of the exurgence points. |
| Production Rate of clear electric output per unit of underground water flow | 2 | kg/sec.MW | It is about an empirical data “reasonable”. |
| Fraction of the exurgence points of the indeed exploitable geothermal reservoirs | 1/100 | It acts more than one indication that of an estimate, suggested at the only end to set the ideas. A large number of point of exurgence, that the angiogeology easily makes it possible to detect, could not be exploited because:
| |
| Many hours of electric production a year | 8,000 | heures/an | that is to say an availability of 91% |
On The Basis Of these data and, knowing that the emerged surface of the ground is worth: 148,900,000 km2, it appear possible to extract:
0.305 kg/sec.km X2 8,000 h/an X 148,900,000 km (22 kg/sec.MW X 100) ≈ 18,166 TeraWatt.heures/an
As comparison, the electrical energy consumed on a world level in 2008 was of 18,603 TeraWatt.heures (TWh).
Total energy produced in 2008 on a world level was of 12,369 Mtoe (million tons oil equivalent), which corresponds to 143,827 TWh.
It is indeed an order of magnitude. These figures can appear contestable - in particular the estimate of the natural aqueous flow of geothermal origin. The readings angiogeoscopic taken by ANGIOO, show well that:
- the exurgence points (of leakage) are omnipresent (and do not only exist where the heat gradients are high or where there is a volcanic activity or where there is a production of surface water),
- aqueous flow from the geothermal reservoirs is well about that presented (even if it presents appreciable regional variations),
- the proportion of the exploitable layers established to 1/100e of the whole of the geothermal reservoirs constitutes a reasonable estimate (and was selected to also integrate the margin of error).
It is thus about one report at the same time reassuring for planet and particularly stimulating for the development of the angiogeology and the production of electrical energy of geothermal origin based on natural aqueous flows. The sine qua non indispensable condition to be able to exploit this natural energy is the capacity to locate effectively and with precision natural exurgences of the geothermal reservoirs, which is our speciality.
The potential exists, but more especially, the economic barriers are raised thanks to the angiogeology. It is today possible to invest in a very profitable way in the high enthalpy geothermy based on natural aqueous flows. The economic value of a geothermal reservoir is presented like the potential return on such an investment.