OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN EGS SOULTZ PROJECT : FROM EXPLORATION TO ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION

This paper reports a multinational approach to develop an Enhanced Geothermal System reservoir (EGS) in Europe. The pilot site is located at the French-German border in Soultz-sous-Forêts, France. Over two decades research and development have been carried out with French, German and Swiss governmental and European funding. The on-going Soultz project is now very close to the end of the pilot plant phase (2009). Then, a geothermal power plant constructing phase started in 2007 with the building of an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) plant having a net power capacity of 1,5MWe. Surface equipments (turbine, air cooling system, heat exchanger) as well as two different types of downhole pumps were installed respectively on surface and in the production wells. Finally, we present the main milestones about the EGS reservoir and the ongoing activities about this experimental power plant.