Geothermal Energy : Energy Context in Lebanon

National Geothermal Resource Assessment of Lebanon, 24th March 2014

Table of contents

o Review of Current & Short Term Lebanon Energy Mix

o Target of 12% Renewables by 2020

o Geothermal Energy Applications

o Geothermal Electricity Characteristics

o Geothermal Atlas : A Milestone for Geothermal

Development
Lebanon Current Energy Mix
Open Cycle Hydroelectric Conventional
Power Plants Power Plants Oil Fired
3% 9% Thermal Power
Plants
31%

Combined Cycle
Power Plants
57%

Open & Combined Cycle : Diesel Oil

Conventional Thermal : HFO
 Lebanon : Energy Mix After Implementation of Short
Term Policy Paper Initiatives (Without Barges)
Conventional
Hydroelectric Oil Fired
Power Plants Thermal Power
5% Plants
25%
ICE Plants
10%

Combined Cycle
Power Plants
59%
 12 % Renewable by 2020
The GoL has set a target of 12% renewable energy by 2020.

To achieve this goal, the MoEW has been working on various initiatives with
numerous Stakeholders ( BDL, EDL, La Kadisha, LWA, CDR, MoE etc …) with the
support of many funds & international cooperation agencies (UNDP‐CEDRO, AFD,
World Bank, Spanish Cooperation, Italian Cooperation, Greek Cooperation etc …) :

‐ Wind Energy : Market Study, Capacity Building, Wind Atlas, Pilot Wind Farm.

‐ Solar Energy : Study PV Potential, Study CSP Potential, Pilot PV Farm.

‐ Hydro Energy : Hydro National Assessment, Micro Hydro Pilot Study, Hydro
Rehabilitation, Micro Hydro Pilot Projects, Feasibility Studies for New Hydro.

‐ Waste to Energy : Study WTE from WWTP Sludge, Study WTE from MSW.

‐ Geothermal Energy : Geothermal for Heating/Cooling Pilot Project, Geothermal

Atlas.
What is Geothermal Energy ?
 What is the Geothermal Energy
potential of the Earth ?
o Enough thermal energy exists in our planet to run
civilization for billions of years

o More energy available in the earth than oil, coal, gas,

and mineable nuclear fuels combined

o The Earth's geothermal resources are theoretically

more than adequate to supply humanity's energy
needs, but only a very small fraction may be
profitably exploited as drilling and exploration for
deep resources is very expensive.
 Earth Temperature Gradient
Outside of the seasonal variations, the geothermal gradient of
temperatures through the crust is 25–30 °C per kilometer of
depth in most of the world.

Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, 2004

 What is the use of Geothermal Energy ?
o Heat pumps extract energy from shallow sources at 10‐20 C in 43 countries
for use in space heating and cooling. Home heating is the fastest‐growing
means of exploiting geothermal energy, with global annual growth rate of
30% in 2005 and 20% in 2012.

o Sources with temperatures from 30‐150 C are used without conversion to

electricity for district heating, greenhouses, fisheries, mineral recovery,
industrial process heating and bathing in 75 countries.

o 28 Gigawatts of direct geothermal heating capacity is installed for district

heating, space heating, spas, industrial processes, desalination and
agricultural applications in 2010.

o Sources with temperatures from 150‐300 C can be used for Electricity

Generation. Currently, 26 nations use geothermal power for electricity
production. In 2012, total global capacity was 11,400 megawatts.
 How it is used Worldwide ?
Snow Melting Industry
Greenhouses
4.4% 2.7%
3%
Swimming Pools
Fish Farming 4.4%
6%

Electricity
Generation
20.2%

Space Heating
59.5%
Space Heating & Cooling
Space Heating & Cooling
Geothermal Electricity Generation
Growth Estimates of Installed
Geothermal Power Capacity
 Why Geothermal Electricity ?
o Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because earth’s heat is being
constantly replenished by the radioactive decay of minerals at a rate of 30 TW.

o High Reliability: Once in operation, is the most reliable energy source. Most
geothermal facilities that has been built in the last 100 years are still in production.
Moreover Geothermal energy don’t need a storage solution in order to work reliably.

o High Availability: Geothermal energy is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Geothermal power plants have average availabilities of 90% or higher, compared to
about 75‐85% for other types of plants.

o High Capacity Factor: Geothermal energy supply does not suffer from intermittency as
it is unaffected by changes in weather or night cycle/day. It is constant & without limits.
It has a Capacity Factor close to 100% higher than any other renewable energy
technology (ie: Wind Farms 20‐40%, PV Farms 13‐20%, CSP 33‐63%, Hydro 25‐68%).

o Increase of Energy Security : Geothermal energy is not dependent on fuel sourcing,

market changes, transports & logistics risks nor weather conditions. It is thereby a
valuable contributor to the Country’s energy security.
 Moreover
o Small Footprint: Geothermal has minimal land requirements. Geothermal plants use
3.5 square kilometres per gigawatt of electrical production (not capacity) versus 32
square kilometres and 12 square kilometres for coal facilities and wind farms
respectively.

o Minimal Freshwater requirements. Geothermal use 20 litres of freshwater per MW∙h

versus over 1,000 litres per MW∙h for nuclear, coal, or oil.

o No Harmful Emissions : Being a renewable source of energy, geothermal energy has

helped in reducing global warming and pollution. Geothermal wells release greenhouse
gases trapped deep within the earth, but these emissions are much lower per energy
unit than those of fossil fuels.

o Fixed Cost : Once in operation, Geothermal Energy is immune to fuel cost fluctuations.

o Least visual impact of any power generation technology available.

o Low Maintenance requirements.

 However typical Barriers are
o High Upfront Costs. Reconnaissance, Exploration & Drilling accounts for high costs.
However, the cost of geothermal power has decreased 25% over the past two decades.

o Risk of Failure : Exploration of deep resources entails significant risks as drilling for
Geothermal may have a 20% failure rate.

o Suited To Particular Regions. Conventional Geothermal power plants are currently cost‐
effective only in areas near tectonic plate boundaries.

o Not Widespread Source of Energy : Since this type of energy is not widely used
therefore the unavailability of equipment, staff, infrastructure, training pose hindrance
to the installation of geothermal plants across the globe. Not enough skilled manpower
and availability of suitable build location pose serious problem in adopting geothermal
energy globally.

o Environmental Concerns. Groundwater contamination can be a problem if the

geothermal wells were not well sealed at great depths cement and steel tubes.
Hazardous gases and minerals can seep up from beneath the ground, and finding a way
to safely dispose of them may prove very difficult and dangerous.
 Geothermal Atlas & Risk

http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/geothermal/assessment.htm
 Acknowledgements To
H.E. Minister Gebran Bassil for giving his full support for this project from the
moment it was a mere idea till completion

UNDP‐Cedro for having accepted the challenge & endorsed the idea even though at
the beginning we didn’t really know from where to start 

Geowatt‐Engicon for having patiently born with us all the administrative

complications for collecting & reviewing the available data that was scattered in
numerous public bodies

Dr Fadi Nader for giving us his precious insights into his field of expertise & having
volunteered to contribute in all the phases of this project even if he had to do that
from abroad during his leisure time

To all public & private bodies or persons who have contributed directly or indirectly
to the outcome of this study
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Karim Osseiran B.E.E.

karim.m.osseiran@gmail.com