Evaluating the Technical and Environmental Capabilities of Geothermal Systems through Life Cycle Assessment

In these days of heightened environmental consciousness, many countries are shifting their focus towards renewable energy sources for both large-scale uses (such as power plants that generate electricity) and smaller-scale applications (e.g., building heating and cooling). In this light, it is not s...

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Published in:Energies (Basel) 2022-08, Vol.15 (15), p.5673
Main Authors: Milousi, Maria, Pappas, Athanasios, Vouros, Andreas P., Mihalakakou, Giouli, Souliotis, Manolis, Papaefthimiou, Spiros
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Climate change
Costs
Decision making
district heating systems
Electric power generation
Electricity
Emissions
Energy
environmental and economy profile
Environmental awareness
Environmental impact
environmental impacts of geothermal systems
Evaluation
Financial analysis
Geothermal energy
geothermal energy systems
Geothermal power
Heating systems
Industrial plant emissions
Life
life cycle assessment (LCA)
Life cycles
Methods
Power plants
Renewable energy sources
Renewable resources
Sensitivity analysis
thermal energy analysis
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Summary:In these days of heightened environmental consciousness, many countries are shifting their focus towards renewable energy sources for both large-scale uses (such as power plants that generate electricity) and smaller-scale applications (e.g., building heating and cooling). In this light, it is not surprising that there is a growing interest in technologies that are reliant on non-conventional sources of power, such as geothermal energy. This study is making an effort to provide a comprehensive understanding of the possible advantages and multiple uses of geothermal energy systems, in the context of their technical and environmental evaluation through Life Cycle Assessment. A brief description of the analyzing methods and the tools used to study a particular system or application is presented. The geothermal technologies and the applications of specific systems are discussed in detail, providing their environmental advantages and their technical barriers as well. District and domestic heating systems cover a significant fraction of the geothermal energy potential. The majority of the discussed studies cover the electricity production as the most important application of geothermal energy. The overall conclusion of the current work is that geothermal energy is an extremely viable alternative that, combined with other renewable energy systems, may mitigate the negative effects of the existing energy mix worldwide.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en15155673