A CREATIVE SOLUTION FOR A COMMON NEED

More than 60 countries use direct geothermal heat.

While ground-source heat pumps can be used to heat and cool residential and small commercial buildings, geothermal district heating systems are needed for larger buildings and communities. Geothermal district heating systems supply energy to buildings and industries via a distribution network.

THE PROBLEM

Current Geothermal Heating & Cooling

The majority of district heating systems utilize low temperature geothermal resources found at shallow depths.

While the shallow temperatures are hot enough for direct heating and cooling, many of these reservoirs lack sufficient permeability for fluid flow and heat recovery.

THE SOLUTION

How Electrical Reservoir Stimulation Increases Geothermal Heat Production

Electrical reservoir stimulation increases permeability and fluid flow rate within the geothermal system, which increases the amount of heat energy that can be extracted.

Low permeability resources are available over a larger geographic area and represent about 100x more resource potential compared to traditional hydrothermal resources.

Low-permeability resources have the potential to supply 320 GW_th if they are developed for geothermal district heating. This energy could support as many as 17,500 geothermal district-heating installations across the United States—sufficient to satisfy the demand of over 45 million households.

Environmental Impact

A single geothermal district heating and cooling facility can eliminate 20,000 tons of CO₂ annually

195 million tons of CO₂ emissions avoided by 2030 by global district heating and cooling systems

Direct utilization of geothermal heat can eliminate 352 million barrels of oil annually

Direct Use of Geothermal Heat Can Apply to a Wide Range of Industrial Applications

Figure Note: At geothermal temperatures not suitable for power production (less than 150°C), geothermal heat is still a valuable energy source.

Source: Department of Energy, DOE, “GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet.” Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office, (2016).