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Energy Conversion

Energy conversion in geothermal systems

Energy conversion in geothermal systems refers to the process of transforming geothermal energy into usable forms, such as electricity or heat. This process is essential for harnessing the geothermal resource effectively and efficiently. The conversion methods can vary based on the type of geothermal resource, the intended use, and the technology available. The scenarios listed below affect strongly the minimum viable production temperatures, reinjection temperatures, and conversion efficiencies as well as the economic parameters such as CAPEX and OPEX. The choice of conversion method is crucial for optimizing the performance and economic viability of geothermal projects (i.e. a binary plant can be relatively unfavourable at temperatures below 100 °C, while direct heat is favourable at lower temperatures). The following sections outline the different types of geothermal energy conversion scenarios as proposed for the Geothermal atlas for africa in the LEAP-RE project

Types of Geothermal Energy Conversion

  1. Direct Heat: This involves using geothermal heat directly for applications such as district heating, greenhouse heating, aquaculture pond heating, and industrial processes.
  2. Direct Heat with industrial Heat Pump this involves using geothermal heat to drive a heat pump system, which can increase the temperature of the geothermal fluid for use in district heating or industrial processes.
  3. Chill: This involves using geothermal energy for cooling applications, such as district cooling systems or industrial chillers.
  4. Power generation with a binary (ORC) plant This involves converting geothermal energy into electricity. There are several methods for this in binary systems, including Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC): Binary plant with an organic fluid with a low boiling point to convert geothermal heat into electricity, suitable for lower temperature resources. alina Cycle: A variation of the ORC that uses a mixture of water and ammonia to improve efficiency in converting geothermal heat to electricity.