Project description
Innovative technology for cleaner geothermal energy
Geothermal power plants emit CO2, which is a greenhouse gas. The EU-funded GECO project will apply innovative technology, recently developed and proved successful at a pilot level in Iceland, to limit the production of emissions from geothermal plants across Europe and the World and turn the emissions into commercial products. GECO will perform a detailed monitoring programme and geochemical analyses in four different geothermal systems (Iceland, Italy, Turkey and Germany). The aim is to create more accurate modelling tools to predict the reactions occurring in the subsurface in response to induced fluid flow. The project will advance gas capture and purification methods by reducing resource consumption to deliver cheaper usable CO2 streams to third parties.
Objective
GECO will advance in the provision of cleaner and cost-effective non-carbon and sulphur emitting geothermal energy across Europe and the World. The core of this project is the application of an innovative technology, recently developed and proved successfully at pilot scale in Iceland, which can limit the production of emissions from geothermal plants by condensing and re-injecting gases or turning the emissions into commercial products. To both increase public acceptance and to generalise this approach, it will be applied by GECO in four distinct geothermal systems in four different European countries: 1) a high temperature basaltic reservoir in Iceland; 2) a high temperature gneiss reservoir in Italy; 3) a high temperature volcano-clastic reservoir in Turkey; and 4) a low temperature sedimentary reservoir in Germany. Gas capture and purification methods will be advanced by lowering consumption of resources, (in terms of electricity, water and chemicals) to deliver cheaper usable CO2 streams to third parties. Our approach to waste gas storage is to capture and inject the soluble gases in the exhaust stream as dissolved aqueous phase. This acidic gas-charged fluid provokes the dissolution of subsurface rocks, which increases the reservoir permeability, and promotes the fixation of the dissolved gases as stable mineral phases. This approach leads to the long-term environmentally friendly storage of waste gases, while it lowers considerably the cost of cleaning geothermal gas compared to standard industry solutions. A detailed and consistent monitoring program, geochemical analysis, and comprehensive modelling will allow characterising the reactivity and consequences of fluid flow in our geologically diverse field sites letting us create new and more accurate modelling tools to predict the reactions that occur in the subsurface in response to induced fluid flow. Finally, gas capture for reuse will be based on a second stage cleaning of the gas stream, through amine separation and burn and scrub processes, producing a CO2 stream with H2S levels below 1 ppm, which is the prerequisite for most utilisation pathways such as the ones that will be applied within the project.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
110 Reykjavik
Iceland
See on map
Participants (23)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
110 Reykjavik
See on map
108 Reykjavik
See on map
75794 Paris
See on map
102 REYKJAVIK
See on map
101 Reykjavik
See on map
92500 Rueil Malmaison
See on map
50121 Florence
See on map
52100 Arezzo
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
52100 Arezzo
See on map
Participation ended
92270 Bois Colombes
See on map
50018 Zaragoza
See on map
6127 AJ Grevenbricht
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
34394 Istanbul
See on map
SN2 1FL Swindon
See on map
06800 Ankara
See on map
00185 Roma
See on map
Participation ended
44801 Bochum
See on map
2007 KJELLER
See on map
36410 Porrino
See on map
80686 Munchen
See on map
92270 Bois Colombes
See on map
110 Reykjavik
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
110 REYKJAVIK
See on map