Italy leads the EU increases use of geothermal energy
The European Union registered a 'very satisfactory increase of 164 electricity megawatts (MWe)' between 1995 and 1999, according to the latest barometer for geothermal energy, conducted by the EurObserver'ER project. The barometer includes up-to-date indicators of the dynamics of renewable energies in Europe. Italy led trend in increased use of geothermal energy, mainly because it is the only European Union country beside Portugal to have a high geothermal potential. More than 20 countries around the world now draw part of their electrical current from aquifers whose temperatures can reach between 180 and 350 degrees centigrade. The barometer reports: 'Between 1995 and 1999 this sector developed in a continuous manner, going from 6837 Mwe up to 7974 Mwe...This is a notable progression of 16.6 per cent and a figure comparable with the 17.1 per cent observed during the four previous years.' The Americas are still the biggest users of geothermal energy in terms of installed capacities (3390 Mwe in 1999), says the report. Meanwhile, Asia has increased its capacity to 3075 Mwe, with the highest growth seen in the Philippines and Indonesia. Three of the top ten users of geothermal energy are in the EU. Germany is in sixth place, producing 517 thermal megawatts (MWth) in 1999; Sweden is eighth, producing 377 MWth in 1999; and France ranks tenth, producing 326 MWth in 1999. On the technological level, the barometer reports that the past few years have witnessed a strong rise in the capacity of installations developing binary technology. 'This sector is promised a bright future because all world wide high enthalpy [the total thermodynamic heat consumption of a system] resources are at the point of being exploited,' according to the report.
Countries
Italy