Technology we use
Flexibility enhancement
To respond quickly to the heat and power demand and to stabilize the grid, the operational flexibility of the Geothermal plant needs to be increased. Using a thermal storage unit to store energy during low demand and release it during high demand will protect critical infrastructure from thermal fatigue, preventing failures in production wells and reinjection systems.
Efficiency reduction due to high ambient condition
Seasonal temperature variation negatively impacts geothermal energy production. Every year Europe is experiencing new records of temperature rise, creating further challenges for efficient geothermal operation. TVS has developed a solution to enhance the performance of the geothermal ORC plant during high ambient temperature conditions
Material issues related to Geothermal Powerplant
High temperature, pressure, and corrosive salts threaten geothermal power components. Increasing geothermal output requires higher enthalpy fluid from deeper wells. TVS has worked with partners to develop specialized corrosion- and erosion-resistant coatings to provide the required bond strength, hardness and density for these challenging applications.
Heat Exchanger
Heat exchangers (HXs) are crucial for geothermal power plants, especially ORC-based ones. Corrosion and scaling from brine require costly, oversized HXs. Carbon steel HXs with anti-corrosion and anti-scaling properties can reduce size, cost, and lower the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE). TVS is collaborating to enhance HX performance for geothermal applications.
Sub Surface
The ETIP Vision and EU Technology Roadmap for geothermal emphasises better control and understanding of geothermal energy to boost its low-carbon share. Geofluid properties are crucial for heat transfer efficiency. TVS collaborates with partners to enhance geofluid understanding, modelling, and support improved design efficiency for geothermal users.
Drilling
Drilling is the most significant cost in geothermal projects, making up 30-70% of expenses. Reducing this costs involves increasing the rate of penetration (ROP) and extending component life, minimising the need for tripping. TVS is developing a unified drilling advisory system using multiple ML model modules for analysis, prediction, and optimization.
Our projects
GeoCoat
The Geo-coat project (H2020-Energy, no. 764086) has developed specialised corrosion- and erosion-resistant coatings to provide higher bond strength, hardness, and density for challenging geothermal applications. TVS has developed a Knowledge Base Multi-Criterion Decision Support System for creating different coating materials and selecting coating processing technologies for geothermal applications.
Consortium Partners:
GeoDrill
Development of novel and cost-effective drilling technology for Geothermal Systems (H2020-Engergy, no. 815319). The project aims to develop optimised drilling equipment to cut costs and increase the rate of penetration in geothermal extraction. TVS has developed a Knowledge Base Multi-Criterion Decision Support System for deep geothermal drilling incorporating technical, economic, and environmental analysis tools.
Consortium Partners:
GeoSmart
Technologies for geothermal to enhance competitiveness in smart and flexible operation (H2020-Renewable Energy, no. 818576). The EU-funded GeoSmart project has developed methods to store heat energy when demand is low to release it when demand is high. The project also developed a hybrid cooling system for the organic Rankine cycle plant to prevent efficiency degradation due to seasonal changes. TVS has developed a Knowledge Base Multi-Criterion Decision Support System for the flexible operation of geothermal plants, incorporating various technical, economic, and environmental analysis tools.
Consortium Partners:
GeoHex
Advanced material for cost-efficient and enhanced heat exchange performance for geothermal application (H2020-Engergy, no. 851917). Heat exchangers (HXs) play a crucial role in geothermal power plants. The EU-funded GeoHex project has developed novel materials for geothermal heat exchangers. TVS has developed a Knowledge Base Multi-Criterion Decision Support System for selecting HX materials based on various technical, economic, and environmental analysis tools
Consortium Partners:
OptiDrill
The EU-funded OptiDrill project (H2020, no. 101006964) introduces an innovative drilling advisory system based on enhanced monitoring systems and multiple data-driven machine-learning modules for analysis, prognosis, and optimization. Each module is responsible for one aspect of the drilling or completion process. TVS is developing a machine learning-based drill advisory system to help drillers optimize parameters.
Consortium Partners:
COMPASS
Sustainable and cost-efficient concepts enabling green power production from supercriticAl/superhot geothermal wells. (Horizon, no. 101084623 and UKRI grant no. 10057822). Drilling superhot geothermal wells unlocks new resources and boosts power output, reducing environmental impact. The EU-funded COMPASS project addresses key technical challenges in accessing these formations. TVS developed cradle-to-gate LCA and parametric cost tools for well completion for Icelandic and Italian superhot resource scenarios.
Consortium Partners:
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