EGEC: Geothermal could supply 20% of energy in Europe by 2050
Unterhaching geothermal power plant, Germany (source: BMU, Thomas Imo / phototek.net)
Alexander Richter
15 Ara 2010
The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) says that geothermal energy could supply at least 20% of Europe's energy demand by 2050.
In a statement as part of the GeoPower Conference in Paris/ France last week, co-organized by the European Geothermal Energy Council, the organisation says “Geothermal could supply at least 20% of European energy demand in 2050″
“Things must change if Europe is to reach its energy decarbonisation objective, and that will not be possible without a substantial contribution from geothermal energy,” says EGEC President Dr Burkhard Sanner.
“Providing a renewable base load, geothermal energy does not have external costs such as storage, grid infrastructure or waste management. Conventional geothermal power is already a most competitive energy source, but only possible in certain regions.
“EGS, a breakthrough technology successfully demonstrate, will allow a geothermal development anywhere in Europe. EGS (short for ‘Enhanced Geothermal Systems’) will become competitive within a few more years.
“Geothermal will be a key player in an optimal energy mix,” Sanner concludes.
EGEC calls on national governments and European institutions to: Invest in R&D to deploy EGS and bring down the cost of EGS plants; Adopt a feed-in tariff suitable for EGS development; and Create a European Risk Insurance Scheme to mitigate the geological risk.”
Source: Renewable Energy Focus
