On the importance of a coordinated site characterization for the sustainable intensive thermal use of the shallow subsurface in urban areas: a case study

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• 作者：S. Schelenz ; T. Vienken ; H. Shao ; L. Firmbach ; P. Dietrich
• 关键词：Shallow geothermal energy ; Geothermal exploration ; Borehole heat exchanger ; Direct push profiling ; Site investigation
• 刊名：Environmental Earth Sciences
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：76
• 期：2
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Earth and Environmental Science
• 刊物主题：Geology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Geochemistry; Environmental Science and Engineering; Terrestrial Pollution; Biogeosciences;
• 出版者：Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• ISSN：1866-6299
• 卷排序：76

文摘

Shallow geothermal applications have become standard solutions for heating and cooling in many newly built or redeveloped residential neighborhoods, but current urban development practices do not yet consider the new demands that result from the intensive thermal use of the shallow subsurface. A coordinated site characterization is of great importance as a sound basis for an optimized planning of geothermal systems that brings together user requirements (heating, cooling, and/or seasonal energy storage) and (hydro)geological subsurface conditions. The aim of this study is to raise awareness and to demonstrate the relevance of a coordinated site characterization. Therefore, this study quantifies the advantages of a site-specific over a desktop-based site characterization in reducing uncertainty for calculation of borehole heat exchanger length and predicted induced temperature changes in the subsurface for a newly developed residential neighborhood in the city of Taucha, Germany. Results show that savings of over EUR 1850 per house (EUR 98,050 for the entire neighborhood) can be achieved by a coordinated exploration and prediction accuracy of temperature plume development was substantially improved. Although being more cost intensive, exploration costs for this case study are <3% of the assumed individual geothermal system costs of EUR 16,000 if divided equally among geothermal users. Three different options are presented to implement coordinated exploration concepts into site development practice.