The ambitious EU-funded research project to create and develop innovative technology that combines the production of geothermal energy with the extraction of metals from the geothermal liquid in one single and interlinked process has now entered its final phase.
CHPM2030
Schematic representation of a CHPM facility. Source: CHPM2030 Team
Part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme for Research & Innovation, the Combined Heat Power and Metals (CHPM2030) technology project was set up with the intent of lowering costs and reducing the environment impact of energy production, while also lessening European dependence on imported raw materials.
The project coordinators said: “In order to improve the economics of deep geothermal energy development, the project investigates possible technologies for manipulating metal-bearing geological formations with geothermal potential at a depth of 3-4 km, and potentially even deeper.
“The project’s aim is that the co-production of energy and metals will become possible and may be optimised according to market demands in the future. The project will also provide proof of the technological concept on a laboratory scale.”
Experts from all over the continent are uniting their efforts to make this innovative technological idea a reality. The work has been divided into eight interconnected parts called Work Packages. The 42-month CHPM2030 project is now entering its final stages with much of the important work already completed and the teams working on the remaining elements with the aim of finishing by the end of June.
These include:
• System integration – The expected temperature of the system is 120-190°C and the conditions are extremely saline. The power plant design must be adapted to suit the conditions.
• Integrated sustainability assessments – It must be ensured that the CHPM2030 project is safe for society and the environment. A framework is being set up to assess the socio-economic and environmental impact, as well as looking at the economics of mineral raw materials and energy.
• Roadmapping and preparation of pilots – The project team is looking at test study areas in Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the UK in order to pave the way for a long-term wider rollout of the CHPM technology.
The results and preliminary outcomes will be presented to the public on May 23, 2019, in Delft, the Netherlands at the final CHPM2030 conference.
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