Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is produced using heat from within the earth. Steam and hot materials can be used to heat buildings and to generate electricity.

Geothermal energy has the benefit of low CO2 emissions, low running costs, high security of supply, and long life. It comprises geothermal power and geothermal heat and is best utilized as base load.
Geothermal energy is divided into three systems:

• Low-temperature - used for heat production
• Middle and high temperature - for generating both power and heat
• Hot dry rock technology - still being developed

The unused potential
Europe is world leading in geothermal technology and still has a huge untapped potential for this type of energy. The geothermal reserves in the Copenhagen area in Denmark, for instance, could cover 30-50% of the areas district heating needs for the next several thousand years.

In Denmark, low-temperature geothermal heat is used in district heating. The technology utilizes energy obtained from porous sandstone beneath some Danish cities. There are currently two geothermal plants operating in Denmark (in Thisted and on Amager) and a third (in Soenderborg) is expected to be operational by 2011.

Surplus energy from solar installations and waste incineration plants is used to heat the geothermal reservoir in order to increase the energy output in the winter.