Urban Energy Lecture: Piloting underground seasonal heat storage

At present, heating and cooling represent around 50% of the final energy demand in Europe and are mainly supplied by fossil fuel derived energy. Large scale seasonal heat storage is a key strategy to decarbonize heating in order to achieve EU ambitions, because sustainable sources like geothermal and solar provide a lot of heat in summer, while we need it in winter. A consortium led by the TU Delft received a 20 M€ EU grant to develop and demonstrate such large scale heat storage technologies. The project will be a showcase with a full-scale application of seasonal heat storage (up to 90°C) in geothermal reservoirs using three different technologies known as Aquifer, Borehole and Mine Thermal Energy Storage (ATES, BTES, MTES). The project will pilot and develop each of the technologies: ATES in Delft and Berlin, BTES in Darmstadt and Litomerice and MTES in Bochum and Cornwall.

In the lecture, the principal investigator of the project dr. Bloemendal will briefly take you through the various technologies and sites of the project and then focusses on the application and innovations of the ATES on the TU Delft campus in conjunction with the geothermal well.

Martin Bloemendal is an assistant professor at the department of Water Management at the faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences and at KWR, and is leading the project.

About the Speaker

I am  a specialist in underground thermal energy storage and utilisation. In various studies I work on sustainable heating and cooling by means of heat storage and extraction in the subsurface. In my work I always consider the heating and cooling system as a whole, i.e. the subsurface heat exchange and also consumers and the required facilities/installation to utilise the available heat. That is why I also have extensive knowledge on related and complementary fields and technologies required for sustainable utilisation of subsurface resources. As a result, my focus is not on the technical aspects only; also organisational, financial and policy-based issues concerning sustainable subsurface utilisation are part of my working/research scope. In my work, I seek to develop and apply my knowledge and skills to guide and contribute in teams that deliver practical, sustainable and innovative solutions that enable a sustainable use of subsurface  resources. Working on scientific and practice oriented solutions which help solving a relevant societal challenge like the energy transition gives me energy!

Photo: Bram Saeys; NWO URSES; J.M. (Martin) Bloemendal, MSc, PhD / dr. ir. J.M. (Martin) Bloemendal TU Delft | Researcher Geothermal Energy Storage | Faculty of civil engineering and geosciences