Eavor’s geothermal project in Geretsried, Germany (source: Eavor Deutschland)
Eavor has reported the first electricity generation from the Geretsried geothermal facility in Germany, marking a major milestone for the Eavor-Loop technology.
Eavor Technologies has announced that it has officially started supplying electricity to the power grid from its geothermal facility in Gerestried, Germany. This is a major milestone for the company’s first commercial deployment of their Eavor-Loop technology for closed-loop geothermal.
The start-up of the project also successfully demonstrated the thermosiphon effect which allows the system to operate without a pump to circulate the fluid. The thermosiphon effect was established within a start-up time of under 30 minutes using a compact pump with capacity of 3 kg/s. The pump was no longer required for operation after the initial start-up.
Moreover, the system has been proven to be flexible, able to go back online after shut-down without an external power source, and can operate for months under no-load circulation.
Eavor had previously reported improvements made in drilling time and bit run lengths over the course of drilling the wells for the Gerestried project. Drilling and well construction were also aided by the deployment of enabling technologies including Insulated Drill Pipe (IDP), Active Magnetic Ranging (AMR), and Rock-Pipe sealant. These technologies can help reduce costs, improve precision, and extend reach in high-temperature environments, especially as Eavor looks towards future projects in Hannover and Neu-Ulm.
The release notes that this is a “partial commercial operation,” implying that it is not yet operating at full capacity. The goal for the site is to generate approximately 64 MW of thermal output or 8.2 MW of electrical output, thus saving approximately 44,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
“We are proud to announce the successful delivery of the world’s first electrons generated from closed-loop multilateral wells,” said Mark Fitzgerald, President and CEO of Eavor. “With Geretsried now on-stream, we’re more confident than ever that our closed-loop geothermal system, designed for adaptability and suited to the world’s diverse regions, will secure its place as the leading solution for commercial geothermal applications.”
“The technological and commercial success at Geretsried validates the project as a blueprint for wider European and global rollout as regions seek stable, locally derived carbon-free energy sources with minimal land and water usage,” said Fabricio Cesário, Head of Project Delivery and Operations, Eavor GmbH. “We are especially grateful to our project partners for their confidence and early investment which were instrumental in pushing the first of a kind learning phase and advancing the project maturation.”
Source: Eavor Technologies