German impacts, page-24

Karlsruhe Technology Region

https://technologieregion-karlsruhe.de/energie/neues-zum-thema-energie

Please scroll down to the paragraph "Heiße Quellen für cooles Klima"!

Quotes: Geothermal energy has great potential for decarbonizing the heating sector

"When it comes to climate protection and sustainable, CO2-free energy supply, many people look to power generation. However, the decisive factor for the success of the energy transition in Germany will be the area of heat! Industry uses two out of every three kilowatt hours for process heat, while private households consume 70 percent of energy for space heating (Energiebericht kompakt BW, 2019). If greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 80 to 95 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, geothermal energy must also play a significant role! Thanks to its location in the Upper Rhine Graben, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion could tap into an inexhaustible reservoir of geothermal sources. However, a glance at the map reveals that geothermal energy has so far only been used in isolated cases. One of the few geothermal plants in the region is located in Bruchsal.We asked Armin Baumgärtner, managing director of the Bruchsal municipal utility, about this plant."

"How did the Bruchsal geothermal project come about?""Baumgärtner: The history of geothermal energy in Bruchsal began in the 1970s during the oil crisis. In 1983, targeted drilling was then carried out for thermal springs in order to use them geothermally. Originally, the European Union, the German federal government, the state of Baden-Württemberg and Energie- und Wasserversorgung Bruchsal GmbH were behind the project. The investment costs amounted to 8.1 million euros. This was initially used to finance the drilling. However, due to low financial prospects of success, the project was terminated for the time being in 1987.
After the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) came into force, the geothermal project picked up again in 2001: Circulation tests with a powerful submersible centrifugal pump held out the prospect of generating 4,400 megawatt hours of electricity annually, supplying around 1,200 households. With the entry of EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, work on the construction of a geothermal power plant was resumed in 2005. The power plant was then inaugurated in December 2009. Since December 2019, the geothermal plant has also been supplying the Bruchsal riot police, among others, via a 400-meter-long local heating pipeline."

"What were the advantages of cooperating with EnBW?""Baumgärtner: EnBW AG can make an important contribution to this project with its financial capabilities - it has also invested another almost 10 million euros in the plant - and its expertise in research, development and operation. Stadtwerke Bruchsal has the expertise in on-site support and in designing the energy mix directly at the customer's site."

"They say, "The sun doesn't send a bill" - the earth doesn't either?""Baumgärtner: Of course, we have to consider the costs of investment, maintenance and upkeep for solar plants as well as geothermal plants. But the bottom line must be to establish a renewable energy supply for future generations. After all, primary fossil fuels are finite and we are making an important contribution to CO2 savings."

"What difficulties did you encounter in using geothermal energy?""Baumgärtner: The high gas and mineral contents of the deep groundwater were a major challenge. They can cause corrosion and deposits on the plant. Today, we counteract this with a pressure of 22 bar in the thermal water circuit above ground. Research and development work with universities such as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Göttingen as well as partners from industry support the optimization of the plant."