The stratigraphic and operating parameters influence on economic analysis for enhanced geothermal double wells utilization system

Jian Liu, Wen-Long Cheng and Yong-Le Nian

Energy, 2018, vol. 159, issue C, 264-276

Abstract: As one of the renewable energy systems, the enhanced geothermal system (EGS) played an important role in relieving energy crisis as a supplement for the existing energy systems. The costs were a key factor restricting the practical application of an EGS project. Therefore, an economic analysis before the establishment of EGS is particularly important to conduct. The aim of this research is to discuss the influences of stratigraphic and operating parameters on the total net costs of geothermal system. In this article, a thermal transfer and economic analysis model was established and the operation of EGS in ten years was simulated. The effects of the parameters including well spacing, injection flow rate, geothermal gradient and drilling costs on total net costs were analyzed. Results showed that the well spacing was one of the most important factors affecting the total net costs. And the total net costs were the lowest in the well spacing around 200 m. During the system operation, there was an optimum injection flow rate which made total net system costs the lowest. The optimum injection flow rate was significantly affected by the well spacing. A higher geothermal gradient could also reduce the total net costs.

Keywords: Geothermal energy; Economic analysis; Enhanced geothermal system; Numerical simulation; Parameters optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:159:y:2018:i:c:p:264-276

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2018.06.150

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