Print Email Facebook Twitter Increasing market opportunities for renewable energy technologies with innovations in aquifer thermal energy storage Title Increasing market opportunities for renewable energy technologies with innovations in aquifer thermal energy storage Author Hoekstra, N. (Deltares) Pellegrini, M. (University of Bologna) Bloemendal, Martin (TU Delft Water Resources; KWR Water Research Institute) Spaak, G. (Deltares) Andreu Gallego, A. (Ceramic Technology Institute) Rodriguez Comins, J. (Itecon) Grotenhuis, T. (Wageningen University & Research) Picone, S. (ART-ER) Murrell, A. J. (Naked Energy Limited) Date 2020 Abstract Heating and cooling using aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) has hardly been applied outside the Netherlands, even though it could make a valuable contribution to the energy transition. The Climate-KIC project “Europe-wide Use of Energy from aquifers” – E-USE(aq) – aimed to pave the way for Europe-wide application of ATES, through the realization and monitoring of six ATES pilot plants across five different EU countries. In a preceding paper, based on preliminary results of E-USE(aq), conclusions were already drawn, demonstrating how the barriers for this form of shallow geothermal energy can be overcome, and sometimes even leveraged as opportunities. Based on final pilot project results, key economic and environmental outcomes are now presented. This paper starts with the analysis of specific technological barriers: unfamiliarity with the subsurface, presumed limited compatibility with existing energy provision systems (especially district heating), energy imbalances and groundwater contamination. The paper then shows how these barriers have been tackled, using improved site investigation and monitoring technologies to map heterogeneous subsoils. In this way ATES can cost-efficiently be included in smart grids and combined with other sources of renewable (especially solar) energy, while at the same time achieving groundwater remediation. A comparative assessment of economic and environmental impacts of the pilots is included, to demonstrate the sustainability of ATES system with different renewables and renewable-based technologies. The paper concludes with an assessment of the market application potential of ATES, including in areas with water scarcity, and a review of climate beneficial impact. Subject Aquifer thermal energy storageDistrict heating and coolingGeothermal energyHeating and coolingPhotovoltaic-thermal modulePilot plantRemediationTechnological innovationWater scarcity To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:43631083-325d-42b9-afe4-e2826e5ea6b3 DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136142 Embargo date 2021-12-28 ISSN 0048-9697 Source Science of the Total Environment, 709 Bibliographical note Accepted Author Manuscript Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2020 N. Hoekstra, M. Pellegrini, Martin Bloemendal, G. Spaak, A. Andreu Gallego, J. Rodriguez Comins, T. Grotenhuis, S. Picone, A. J. Murrell, More Authors Files PDF Hoekstra_etal_Manuscript_ ... an_v01.pdf 3.57 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:43631083-325d-42b9-afe4-e2826e5ea6b3/datastream/OBJ/view