Potential Geothermal Energy Utilization in Jordan: Possible Electrical Power Generation

Abstract

Abstract Jordan, which is considered as part of the ring of fire, is tectonically active and could be considered as potential region for future generation of energy from the available geothermal energy resources. The current article discusses the possibility of utilizing geothermal energy in generating electrical power in Jordan. Jordan encounters geothermal energy resources in two main forms, medium and low energy with variation of temperature ranges from 110–114 o C and 30–65 o C, respectively. The various hot springs and wells have been subjected to a comparison in terms of temperature and flow rate in order to determine the most suitable method for electric power generation. This comparison concluded that electrical power could be generated using geothermal binary power plants and geothermal Stirling engines. Keywords: Geothermal Energy, Groundwater, Binary Power plant, Stirling Engine 1. Introduction With escalating awareness of the damaging effects of using fossil fuels on the environment, there has been a growing attention to provide the region with an abundant, clean renewable baseload energy sources. Renewable energy technologies are being developed to attain such clean sources of energy that have much lower negative impact on environment. In this regard, renewable energy resources appear to be a potential solution to energy and environmental problems and the key to the sustainable development. According to [1], the geothermal energy is stored between the earth's surface and a specified depth in the crust. It is measured from local average annual temperature beneath a specified area. The most common criterion for classifying geothermal resources is based on the enthalpy of the geothermal fluids that act as the carrier transporting heat from the deep hot rocks to the surface. Enthalpy, which can be considered more or less proportional to the temperature, is used to express the heat content of the fluids, and gives a rough idea of their value. According to criteria that are generally based on the energy content of the fluids and their potential forms of utilization [2], the resources are divided into low, medium and high temperature resources. Thousands megawatts of power are currently being produced could be developed from already-identified hydrothermal resources. With improvements in technology, much more power will be available. Usable geothermal resources will not be limited to the shallow hydrothermal reservoirs at the crustal plate boundaries. Much of the world is underlain by dry hot rock. Scientists worldwide have experimented piping water into this deep hot rock to create more hydrothermal resources that can be used in geothermal power plants [3]. As drilling technology being developed, allowing to drill much deeper, geothermal energy from hot dry rock could be available everywhere. At such time, we will be able to hit the true potential of the huge heat resources of the earth's crust and to create more efficient energy supply. A complex plate boundary crosses Turkey and Greece where several high-temperature geothermal prospects have been found. Since 1984, the Kizildere field in western Turkey has produced 20.4 MWe. A dry ice plant was built in the late 80s. Lower temperature hot water (552 GWh/yr) is used for heating and in greenhouses in Turkey [4]-[7]. In Greece 37 GWh/yr is used directly, and in Milos a 2 MWe flash plant was operated for several years. Geothermal hot water is used in Algeria (460 GWh/yr) and Tunisia (400 GWh/yr) for bathing, greenhouses, drinking and irrigation purposes. In Israel and Jordan, the Red Sea-Jordan Valley Rift (JVR) hosts hot springs, with temperature up to 102