About

The Thermal-Hydraulic-Chemical (THC) Prognostic Modelling project is focused on improving comprehension and control of geothermal resources. THC-Prognos aims to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of geothermal energy extraction by utilizing sophisticated modeling techniques using extensive hydrochemical data from all over Germany to guarantee a dependable and eco-friendly energy supply for the future. The LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics is essential to the THC-Prognos project, specifically in Part C, where it is responsible for incorporating comprehensive hydrochemical data into the Geothermal Information System (GeotIS). The responsibility of LIAG is to collect and verify hydrochemical data from different sources, such as existing databases, publications, and project partners. Subsequently, this data is analyzed and integrated into GeotIS, so creating a comprehensive database that can be accessed by researchers and industry professionals thus improving the usefulness and accessibility of hydrochemical data that facilitates more effective planning and management of geothermal resources. The anticipated results of the THC-Prognos project are diverse, encompassing refined prognostic models for geothermal systems, more data availability via GeotIS, and more informed decision-making about geothermal energy production. The project is a collaboration that involves multiple partners, each providing their specialized knowledge to different facets of the project.

Enhancement of Geothermal Information System GeotIS

The LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics has been developing and managing the Geothermal Information System for Germany (GeotIS) since its inception in 2006. A significant nationwide expansion of geothermal energy requires a systematic enhancement of the data landscape with missing chemical components of the fluids involved in geothermal energy. To address these challenges, the THC-Prognos project aims to augment GeotIS by incorporating comprehensive fluid chemical data. This expansion will involve collecting and standardizing disparate thermal water analyses from various publications and datasets from public authorities, ensuring their integration into a cohesive and accessible database. Enhanced functionality will be introduced to GeotIS, including the visualization of measurement locations, interactive query capabilities, and time series analysis of thermal water compositions. This will significantly aid both scientific research and operational planning by providing crucial insights into the hydrochemical properties of geothermal fluids, ultimately supporting the sustainable management and development of geothermal resources in Germany.

Highlights

  • Development of Open-Source THC codes
  • Development of regional hydrochemical maps for sustainable geothermal utilization
  • Expansion of the Geothermal Information System (GeotIS) to include hydrochemical data
  • Provision of eLearning materials
  • Publication of project results for economic and scientific use

Project Lead

Deutsches Geoforschungs Zentrum GFZ
Telegrafenberg
14473 Potsdam
 

Project Lead

Prof. Dr. Ingo Sass

GFZ Postdam
ingo.sass@gfz-potsdam.de

 

Project Cordinator

Dr. Pham Hung

TU Darmstadt
pham@geo.tu-darmstadt.de

Duration and Support

The THC Project started in September 2023 and has a duration of 3 years funded by the 7th Energy research framework program of Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMWK).