Progress,Political Environment and Perspectives of Deep Geothermal Energy in Austria

摘要

A total of 68 boreholes have been drilled in Austria for exploration and exploitation of thermal water and geothermal energy since the mid 1970es.Essential impulses to exploration activity were exerted by balneological projects comprising the construction of new and the extension of existing facilities for curing,bathing and wellness applications.Up id now nine geothermal projects with a cumulative installed thermal power of 63.5 MW have been realized;they have their focus on district heating.The most promising regions for future exploitation of geothermal energy are in the Upper Austrian Molasse Basin,the Styrian Basin and the Vienna Basin.The expected short to medium term exploitable thermal power is as high as 430 MW.The possibility of exploiting deep seated layers in the crystallinic basements in the mentioned sedimentary basins by hot fractured rock(HFR)technology has not been considered yet despite the favourable conditions to be expected in the basins.For the tackling of such projects a complete change in the public sponsorship policy is essential.