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H2020Doctoral network2020–2024

EASYGO · Efficiency and Safety in Geothermal Operations

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2020-11-01 → 2024-10-31
EU contribution
€3,416,039
Participants
4
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Efficiency and Safety in Geothermal Operations

To mitigate climate change, the EU set a net-zero emission target by 2050. This long-term climate strategy plans the energy transition and energy decarbonization for the next decades. Currently, the EU relies on significant energy imports. The large price oscillations of natural gas recorded this past winter, followed by the shortage of gas supply as a result of the Ukraine war, have shown how vulnerable the whole energy system of Europe really is, and how dependent on the supply of primary resources. Geothermal energy will play a key role in the energy transition to renewables as part of mitigating climate change. However, the operation of running geothermal fields is still a challenge. Most operating fields run into problems related to the interruption of the physical, chemical, and mechanical equilibrium at depth. These changes result in unexpected loss of fluids, mineral precipitation that clogs fluid pathways, corrosion that harms the infrastructure of power plants, mechanical reactions such as earthquakes or unwanted opening of cracks resulting in instability of the system. Therefore, there is a strong societal demand for a safe geothermal energy supply in the future along the question 'How to operate a geothermal system in the most efficient and safe manner?'.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

How to operate a geothermal system in the most efficient and safe manner? This is the most important and urgent question after a geothermal resource has been identified. EASYGO will answer that question from different perspectives and give high-level training for geothermal operations. The EASYGO programme connects academia, industry and real-scale research facilities to train tomorrow’s leading geothermal-energy experts. These future experts will improve the design and layout of geothermal systems and handle daily challenges during operations. Geothermal energy will play a key role in the energy transition as part of mitigating climate change. Policy makers demand solutions for a sustainable future energy supply. Tackling the challenges of sustainable geothermal operations requires an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach. Integrating geoscientific and engineering drives technology innovation that will be tested at operational sites. EASYGO combines various research projects from these fields under in situ conditions, using large-scale infrastructure available to all researchers. To achieve the main objective, we will work on the whole chain of geothermal operations, from production to power-plant engineering to injection. We will develop novel monitoring concepts, perform real-time simulations, develop system components, assess novel concepts for operations and test operational parameters at the field scale. Our ESRs will work on a specifically identified project but will learn aspects of the entire geothermal operation chain in an outstanding training programme. The mobility plan of EASYGO envisages each ESR will have at least one academic secondment and one industrial secondment. The outstanding training programme is complementary to the excellent research plan. ESRs will meet every six months for an intersectoral training week on related topics and soft skills.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH · ZuerichCoordinatorSwitzerland
  • POLITECNICO DI MILANO · MilanoItaly
  • RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN · AachenGermany
  • TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT · DelftNetherlands

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union