Forecast and evaluation of hot dry rock geothermal resource in China

Zhijun Wan, Yangsheng Zhao and Jianrong Kang

Renewable Energy, 2005, vol. 30, issue 12, 1831-1846

Abstract: Utilizing information from plate tectonics characteristics, volcanic activities, and geothermal anomaly, this paper identifies areas where hot dry rock (HDR) may exist as potential geothermal resource in China. Further investigations are also carried out in the paper based on results from regional tectonics, volcanic geology and lithology, as well as data from geothermal displays, geochemistry, geophysics, and shallow borehole temperature measurements. The study reveals several promising areas of HDR geothermal resource in China, including Tengchong of Yunnan province, Qiongbei of Hainan province, Changbaishan of Jilin province, Wudalianchi of Heilongjiang province, and the Southern Tibet area. A 3D static heat conduction model was developed to study the underground temperature gradient characteristics of the Rehai geothermal field in Tengchong and the Yangbajing geothermal field in Tibet. The model adopted is a geological block 10km deep from the ground surface and 50km wide in each of the horizontal directions (2500km2 area). The numerical simulation results in evaluations on the quantities of the HDR geothermal resource in Rehai and Yangbajing geothermal fields. The paper shows that there is abundant HDR geothermal resource with large exploitation value in China. If developed with a power capacity of 1×108kW, the Rehai and Yangbajing fields along would be able to generate electricity for 1560 years.

Keywords: Hot dry rock (HDR); Geothermal resource; Forecast; 3D numerical simulation; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:30:y:2005:i:12:p:1831-1846

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2005.01.016

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