Essen Workshop, November 2013

Motivation and Objectives of the workshop

It is becoming increasingly apparent to the IGA that a lack of clear global guidelines and standards is holding back the assessment of geothermal energy as a viable energy option at a global scale. A proper comparison of different energy options in different locations requires globally consistent methods for assessing and classifying energy potential. A global assessment of geothermal potential, however, is hindered on at least two fronts. Firstly, national agencies in many parts of the world have no experience or guidelines as to how to assess, quantify and classify their local geothermal potential. Secondly, those agencies that have assessed geothermal potential within their jurisdictions have developed and used their own local methodologies and terminologies that are not necessarily comparable with other jurisdictions.

Program

The IGA convened a workshop on 14 November 2013 in Essen, Germany, to mobilize its membership (representing the global geothermal sector) to address two relevant issues:

• Describe and define standard terminology for a comprehensive range of "Geothermal Play Types" in the context of generic conceptual models of geological and tectonic settings in which geothermal systems might naturally develop or be engineered around the world.
• Develop a globally consistent set of terminology and definitions for a Classification Framework for Geothermal Potential (Resources/Reserves) based on technical feasibility, economic viability and level of confidence, reconciled with all currently existing frameworks for geothermal energy and other energy and mineral resources.

The program was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The general format of both sessions was a series of short invited presentations followed by open discussion and debate. The presentations can be downloaded following the links below.

Morning Session

Examples of existing schemes used around the world for assessing and classifying geothermal potential in terms of technical feasibility, economic viability and level of confidence, and an introduction to the UNFC-2009 classification scheme for Renewables.

Afternoon session

Case studies of different geological settings prospective for geothermal systems.