화학공학소재연구정보센터
Renewable Energy, Vol.66, 541-549, 2014
The feasibility and potential of geothermal heat in the deep Alberta foreland basin-Canada for CO2 savings
The identification, mapping and evaluation of geothermal resources are an important component of a diversified and resilient energy system. Geothermal resources offer an important series of contributions from direct (low temperature) heat to electric generation (from EGS or Enhanced Geothermal Systems). While not ideal, Alberta has a wide range of subsurface heat resources that are coincident with load and can be developed in the future at reasonable cost. We assess that geothermal energy output from sources at depth for temperature range between 120 and 150 degrees C accessed from 4 to 5 km wells in very western portions of the Alberta basin can be as competitive as gas burning even at these prices. For the 5 km depth and 150 degrees C, the cost of thermal energy can be as low as 2$ per GJ thermal equivalence for expected EGS flow rates of 5-50 kg/s, with 30 year expected plant life. Replacement of gas heating utilizing EGS systems could form part of a long range target for industry emission reductions. For example, 1000 (2 wells each) heat generating systems across Alberta drawing 100 degrees C from deep wells in deep sedimentary basin or deep granites can save >30 MT CO2 per year. Oilsands operations generate some >40 MT per year and in Alberta more than 300,000 wells have been drilled by oil and gas industry. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.