Map of near-surface geothermal operations in the Greater Paris Metropolitan Area (2021).
© BRGM - T. Dupaigne
The need
In 2018, the Greater Paris Metropolitan Area Council (MGP) adopted its Metropolitan Climate-Air-Energy Plan (PCAEM). To support the energy transition, the MGP decided to implement a holistic approach, including resource identification, demand management, and planning issues, as well as technical and operational constraints. To better exploit the area's subsurface resources, the MGP wants to promote and develop near-surface geothermal projects, in order to draw on the considerable resources available.
The results
The project lasted one year and delivered the following results:
- Production of a document to promote near-surface geothermal energy: "Near-surface geothermal energy: an efficient and sustainable energy that is perfectly suited to the Greater Paris Metropolitan Area - 7 good reasons to choose geothermal energy"; the document provides examples of geothermal operations in aquifers and with probes, and includes testimonies from various operators and stakeholders (local authorities, DRIEA, Drillers' Union);
- Incorporation of additional data on near-surface geothermal resources in the Subsurface Database (BSS), in order to harmonise the information available concerning the different generations of operations (notably before and after the implementation of the regulation on minimum-impact geothermal applications [GMI-2015 regulation]), and to develop a service for displaying the updated data in real time (Webservice);
- A map of the geothermal potential (in water tables and using probes) based on the needs data produced by a design office and IRIS-grid calculations (geographical breakdown of INSEE data within municipalities, corresponding to "districts" with a population of around 2,000 inhabitants). This map aims to achieve two distinct goals: to show that it is possible to draw on geothermal energy throughout the metropolitan area (with a few exceptions), and to assess the development potential for the entire Greater Paris Metropolitan Area.
Using the results
The three tools developed during the project will be made available to operators via various distribution channels, essentially via the geothermies.fr website, the benchmark site for geothermal energy. Its map section will display the Webservice and provide access to the map of the potential geothermal energy sources produced during the project.
The partners
- Greater Paris Metropolitan Area
- ADEME
