[ Geothermal ]
[ Geothermal ]
In Europe, most geothermal plants are used for district heating, as the brines – the fluids used to transfer heat – are not widely available above 100 ° C. The year 2023 marked the second consecutive year of recordbreaking sales of geothermal heat pumps, with an 11.7 % increase from 2022. However, temperatures as low as 80 ° C can be used to generate electricity by using the binary cycle, also called the organic rankine cycle( ORC). In the United States, bipartisan support for geothermal is growing. The Congressional Research Service highlights the potential for Enhanced Geothermal Systems( EGS) to supply up to 12 % of US electricity demand by 2050. The US Department of Energy has also launched a USD $ 84 million program to fund pilot demonstration projects for EGS as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These projects aim to showcase EGS in various geological settings and help scale geothermal energy as a reliable, zero-carbon power source. The geopolitical landscape, highlighted by the Ukraine war and Europe’ s energy crisis, is driving European nations to focus on geothermal energy, as it offers a hedge against the volatility of global fuel markets. Unlike oil and gas, which are subject to geopolitical tensions and price shocks, geothermal energy is inherently local. Once a plant is built, it provides decades of stable, low-cost power, which is insulated from international market fluctuations.
Geothermal’ s role in the green transition Unlike solar and wind, geothermal doesn’ t depend on weather conditions – in fact, geothermal has a utilisation rate of over 75 %, compared to less than 30 % for wind and less than 15 % for solar. This makes it particularly valuable as a source of baseload electricity – energy that is available around the clock to meet consistent demand. In terms of environmental impact, geothermal plants emit significantly fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuel-based power generation. As calculated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the median life cycle emissions for electricity generation is in line with other renewable energy sources, and significantly lower than fossil fuel electricity generation:
• Coal: 1,001 gCO 2 e / kWh
• Natural Gas: 486 gCO 2 e / kWh
• Solar PV: 43 gCO 2 e / kWh
• Geothermal: 37 gCO 2 e / kWh
• Wind: 13 gCO 2 e / kWh
Beyond its environmental benefits, geothermal energy also contributes to energy security. Because it is locally sourced and not reliant on imported fuels, it reduces exposure to global energy market volatility and geopolitical risks. Once a geothermal plant is operational, it can produce electricity for decades with minimal maintenance, offering long-term cost stability and a compact physical footprint compared to other energy facilities. There are also geothermal fields – for
Stainless steel pipes are ideal for transporting geothermal fluids.
example, along the Salton Sea and the Upper Rhine Graben – that can contribute to energy storage. The brines from these fields have relatively high concentrations of lithium, which can be extracted and used in the production of batteries.
The stainless steel advantage So where does stainless steel come in? Geothermal environments are harsh. The fluids extracted from underground often contain high levels of chlorides, hydrogen sulfide, and other corrosive elements. This makes material selection critical for safety, cost-efficiency and longevity. When compared to carbon steel, not only does stainless steel present advantages regarding corrosion resistance, but it is also not prone to the precipitation of heavy metal ions, the so-called heavy metal scaling, a common phenomenon, for example, in the Rotliegend formations in the Netherlands and in northern Germany. The reason for that is the stainless steel’ s
Reykjanes geothermal power plant, Iceland.