Technology we use
Thermal storage for power plant’s 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.
Tackling temperature variation for a steady power generation
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
Novel coating development to fight harsh environment in geothermal setting
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 specialised corrosion- and erosion-resistant coatings to provide the required bond strength, hardness and density for these challenging applications.
Novel Heat Exchanger design
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 and cost, and lower the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE). TVS is collaborating to enhance HX performance for geothermal applications
Geofluid behaviour modelling to achieve maximum efficiency
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
AI-based advisory system to increase drill’s life
Drilling is the most significant cost in geothermal projects, making up 30-70% of expenses. Reducing this cost 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 optimisation.
Our projects
GeoCoat
The Geo-Coat (Development of novel and cost-effective corrosion-resistant coatings for high-temperature geothermal applications) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 764086) develops specialised corrosion- and erosion-resistant coatings, to be applied through thermal powder coating techniques specially developed to provide the required bond strength, hardness and density for the challenging geothermal applications. TVS has built a Decision Support System (DSS) for developing different coating materials and selecting optimal coating processing technologies for geothermal application.
Consortium Partners:
GeoDrill
The GeoDrill (Development of Novel and Cost-Effective Drilling Technology for Geothermal Systems) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 815319) aims to develop optimised drilling equipment to reduce costs and increase the rate of penetration in geothermal energy extraction. TVS has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) for a mud hammer-based deep geothermal drilling system considering techno-economic and environmental performance.
Consortium Partners:
GeoSmart
The GeoSmart (Technologies for Geothermal to Enhance Competitiveness in Smart and Flexible Operation) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 818576) is working on methods to store heat energy when demand is low so that it can be released when demand is high. The project also plans to create a hybrid cooling system for the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) plant that will prevent efficiency degradation due to seasonal changes. TVS has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) that will guide geothermal plant operators to profitably shift the business from baseload operation to flexible operations.
Consortium Partners:
GeoHex
The GeoHex (Advanced Material for Cost-Efficient and Enhanced Heat exchange performance for geothermal application) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 851917) will support the development of novel materials for geothermal use. Heat Exchangers (HEX) play a crucial role in the geothermal power plants. TVS has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) that will support ecoDESIGN of geothermal heat exchangers.
Consortium Partners:
OptiDrill
The OptiDrill (Optimisation of Geothermal Drilling Operation with Machine Learning) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 101006964) introduces an innovative drilling advisory system based on a combination of enhanced monitoring systems and multiple data-driven machine learning modules for the analysis, prognosis and optimisation. TVS has developed the monitoring system based on real time MWD (Measurement While Drilling) systems. The goal is to advise and support drilling operators in making informed decisions through real-time data, reducing many uncertainties.
Consortium Partners:
COMPASS
The COMPASS (Sustainable and Cost-Efficient Concepts Enabling Green Power Production from Supercritical/superhot geothermal wells) project (EU Grant Agreement no. 101084623 & UKRI Grant Agreement no. 10057822) addresses key technical challenges in accessing superhot geothermal well formations. TVS has developed cradle-to-gate LCA and parametric cost tools for Icelandic and Italian superhot resource scenarios.
Consortium Partners:
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