The potential of geothermal energy
The 19th century was the time of coal, the 20th was the time of oil, the 21st century unexpectedly may explore the potential of geothermal energy.
It is searched in the sun, water and wind, waiting for the full deployment of the atom, the recipe for infinite energy, low-cost and sustainable.
The problem is that day is succeeded by night, and even in the stormiest areas there are days of flat calm, so current renewable energies fail to be continuous.
In addition, the materials needed for the construction of the facilities, so-called critical raw materials are found underground in countries that could use them as a geopolitical cudgel and currently dominate much of the production chain.
Rather than turning our gaze to the celestial elements as perhaps satellite perspective has accustomed us, in the late 19th century, an age of mining, people looked down to the igneous substratum of the earth's bowels for inexhaustible, pulsating energy: geothermal energy.
The conditions for the development of geothermal energy
Italy, a country crossed by tectonic faults, with power plants on Mount Amiata and at Larderello, was at thevanguard in the exploitation of this energy that emanated from the Tuscan calderas.
After the initial intoxication, the momentum stalled and other countries, slowly, are overtaking.
Geothermal energy remains a marginal source in the energy mix, with the exception of a few particularly gifted countries.
The main reason is that its development requires geological conditions capable of containing and transferring subsurface heat: existing hot springs, active volcanoes, and other geological features associated with geothermal energy.
To make effective use of the calorific potential, There must be a sufficient thermal gradient between the surface and the subsurface. This gradient is commonly caused by magmatic chambers, hot rocks, and natural reservoirs of hydrothermal fluids below the surface.
The Earth's crust must also be sufficiently permeable to conduct heat and allow the circulation of hot water or steam.
Finally, the subsurface must contain fractures large enough to reduce pressure and allow fluids to travel relatively quickly.
These fractures can result from tectonic activity or be artificially created through drilling and/or fracking techniques.
The fact that all these conditions must be present in order to use geothermal energy effectively makes areas compatible with exploitation less extensive than one might think.
The situation in Europe
In any case, Europe has large reserves of geothermal energy, and its highly developed energy infrastructure makes it the second largest geothermal energy potential region in the world, with a estimated potential of up to 20 million megawatts (MW).
The development of an energy infrastructure capable of accommodating and supporting geothermal energy projects with international transmission lines, access to other renewable energy sources, and established grid interconnections makes it possible to transport over long distances with relative ease.
The presence of rich energy markets, would enable operators to cover the high initial investment that underlies large geothermal projects for electricity production and has been a major limiting factor in the development of the industry.
High prices of renewable and fossil sources, especially of the gas, which forms the backbone of the European industrial model, would generate additional demand for geothermal energy, which could help increase the profitability of production projects.
The European Union has long recognized the potential of geothermal energy to contribute to carbon reduction targets. The EU aims to increase the use of renewable energy sources for heat and power generation to reach 32% of final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030.
Already In 2008, the European Commission created the "Geothermal Energy" program. seeking to carve out an active role in stimulating the use of geothermal energy sources in the Union. The program was aimed at overcoming the financial and technical obstacles that prevent large projects from gaining a foothold, aiming to create a model of sustainability, including economic sustainability of the initiatives, by financing feasibility studies, extractive development and research into better techniques for the exploitation of geothermal energy.
In 2017, the European Commission renewed its commitment by launching the "Geothermal Innovation Initiative", an initiative focused on research, development and innovation in the areas of geothermal energy production and storage and financial support for demonstration projects. Nevertheless, due to the economies of scale required, financial support remained rather limited, allocating for all of Europe, the insignificant sum of 100 million euros in total by 2021.
La crisis in Ukraine, from permanent consequences on energy supply routes, and a crisis in East Asia, where the materials for the construction of photovoltaic plants come from, could accelerate the process of investing in Europe's geothermal riches.
The Icelandic case
To understand how to make geothermal an attractive source, one must follow in the footsteps of those who made it a major source of supply-Iceland.
The Viking island, teeming with geysers and volcanoes, is obviously blessed by geography and has the largest geothermal potential of any European country.
Geothermal energy is an economically attractive option for Iceland due to its abundance of volcanically active areas and its long history of using geothermal energy to heat buildings, provide electricity and produce steam.
Despite its extensive use, it is estimated that the island still has a potential of 6,000 megawatts of geothermal energy, much of it yet to be tapped.
Iceland has been a leader in exploring ways to make the best use of its geothermal resources, with 28 operating power plants and nearly 950 megawatts of electrical output, enough to meet approx. 26% of the country's total electricity needs.
Although there is some controversy in Italy about the pollution rate of geothermal plants, the Icelandic government is investing in research to explore additional ways to exploit the country's geothermal potential, including use for desalination, aquaculture, and even tourism, creating a thriving circular economy around the fire in the bowels of the earth.
The situation in Italy of geothermal energy
Italy has the fourth largest installed geothermal energy capacity in the world, behind only the United States, the Philippines and Indonesia.
In 2018, geothermal energy accounted for 3.2% of Italy's total energy production.
Italy is estimated to have the potential to increase geothermal energy production to four times the current level.
In 2017, Italy passed a law establishing the National Action Plan for the Promotion of Geothermal Energy (NAPGE), which supports the development of new geothermal projects in the country by creating incentives for municipalities to invest in geothermal energy and has led to the construction or upgrading of dozens of geothermal projects in recent years.
In addition, the government has provided incentives for geothermal energy development through tax credits and subsidies.
In addition to large-scale geothermal power plants, Italy is seeking to capitalize on its geothermal resources for smaller-scale applications, such as heating and cooling individual homes and buildings, with several pilot projects aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of such systems.
Mappa dei progetti
Click on the regions for a description of current projects
The Marsili project
The Marsili volcano geothermal project is a Innovative energy project on the island of Ischia, which seeks to harness geothermal energy from the active undersea volcano Marsili and convert it into electricity.
The project includes a closed-loop system that involves drilling two wells in a reservoir located thousands of meters below the sea surface.
This tank contains water and steam heated to temperatures of up to 250 degrees Celsius, which are then piped to a power plant located on the island.
In Central, hot water and steam are conveyed through a turbine connected to a generator.
This generator produces electricity that is then sent to the national power grid. The project would be highly efficient and require minimal maintenance or investment in infrastructure.
It also does not produce air or water pollution during operation. The government estimates that the project will generate about 15 GWh of electricity per year, enough to power up to 14,000 homes.
The project was funded in 2016 by the European Commission and is led by Enel Green Power, the renewable energy division of Enel, Italy's largest energy company.
It is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to generate up to 5 MW of renewable energy from the two volcanoes.
The project involves the drilling of 11 wells in the volcanic subsurface, that allow hot steam and water to reach the surface, where they can be used to generate electricity.
To further increase efficiency, the project also includes the use of two algorithms that will optimize the performance of the plant's steam turbines.
This project differs significantly from other similar projects in the region, such as in Iceland or New Zealand.
In both countries, most geothermal power plants are located in areas of high geothermal activity, that is, when the earth's surface is naturally hot due to the proximity of an active volcano.
The Volcano project drills dormant volcanoes, making it more difficult to build and operate.
In addition, the two algorithms are designed to. specifically for the project, which could differentiate it from other geothermal projects.
Overall, the Volcano project is a pioneering venture for Europe and the world, using an inactive volcano to produce renewable energy.
With successful drilling and steam turbine optimization algorithms, it has the potential to Revolutionize the European renewable energy industry, paving the way for more geothermal energy projects across the continent.
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