BIBLIOS

Document type
Conference papers

Document subtype
Full paper

Title
Geothermal Energy Use, Country Update for Portugal 2021

Participants in the publication
J.C. Nunes (Author)
Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749–016, Lisboa, Portugal
L. Coelho (Author)
J.M. Carvalho (Author)
M.R. Carvalho (Author)
Dep. Geologia
IDL

Summary
The presence of high-temperature geothermal resources, and the production of electricity from geothermal resources in Portugal, are restricted to the volcanic islands of the Azores Archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean. \\nThree geothermal binary power plants are installed and running normally in the islands of S. Miguel and Terceira, the most economically developed, with a total capacity running of 26 MWe and an average production \\nof about 200 GWh/year. The total production of those power plants in 2021 represented about 20 % of the \\ntotal demand of the Azores archipelago. New nine vertical and directional wells were drilled in 2021 in both islands to increase the total running capacity of power plants, or at least saturate them, especially the Pico Alto geothermal power plant, Terceira Island. \\nFollowing the call released in 2018 for geothermal projects, sponsored by the FAI – “Fundo de Apoio à Inovação”, to promote the use of geothermal resources in Portugal, namely the low enthalpy resources associated with Thermal Baths/Spas facilities, two district heating networks for hotels and public buildings are under completion: (i) Chaves (74 ºC, 25 l/s) and (ii) S. Pedro do Sul (67 ºC, 19.4 l/s). Furthermore, in Chaves, an independent small operation (110 kWth) was open in January 2022 in an emblematic museum located over an impressive former Roman Thermal Bath with innovations regarding the environmental management of the geothermal fluid and its disposal. \\nConcerning GSHPs, the potential is huge and continues to be exploited, with new projects ongoing and new specific regulations are expected to be approved shortly. There are a few installations registered until now, but the technical data of the operations are scarce and do not represent the totality of what is installed in Portugal.

Editor(s)
EGEC Geothermal


Event
Proceedings of the European Geothermal Congress 2022

Publication Identifiers

Address
Berlin, Germany

Organizers
EGEC Geothermal, in cooperation with the German Geothermal Association (BVG)

Publisher
EGEC Geothermal


Keywords
Portugal 2021 power generation thermal baths shallow geothermal energy