Sustainable Energy From Extinct Underwater Volcano Zuidwal Could Bring Heat to Netherlands Homes

The extinct underwater volcano Zuidwal has the potential to generate sustainable energy that can be used to heat homes in the Netherlands.

Sustainable Energy: Geothermal Heat From Extinct Volcano

There is a plan to pipe heat gathered from an extinct volcano into residences in the Dutch city of Bolsward.

To produce sustainable energy below, Ynze Salverda, a Stichting Ontwikkeling Geothermie Friesland STOGEF board member, suggested exploiting leftover warmth from the Zuidwal volcano under the Wadden Sea.

Salverda advised on utilizing the geological benefits of the area rather than only depending on wind turbines, which can be problematic in calm weather.

Due to its long history as a significant gas producer, the Netherlands has access to extensive subsurface data that reveals a layer of porous stone that is suited for geothermal energy and has a temperature of about 90°C.

The suggested method uses a geothermal "doublet" technology, drawing heat out of water pumped via a production well and injecting the cooled water back into the system through an injection well.

By supporting this grassroots project, it is hoped to offer dependable, inexpensive, and non-commercial energy that will sustainably meet people's needs.

Demand for Heat in the Netherlands

Geothermal energy, which was highlighted in a 2022 article by Think Geoenergy, might someday supply 25% of the Dutch heat demand, according to the public energy business Energie Beheer Nederland.

Between The Hague and Rotterdam, 26 operational non-volcanic geothermal energy installations are primarily used to heat greenhouses.

A national mapping project and goals of exceeding double geothermal generation by 2030 are also in place.

A 2.5 km deep geothermal project is being dug in Delft to heat the university campus as well as the equivalent of 10,000 homes. The project's science program is being overseen by Phil Vardon, a Delft University of Technology professor of energy geomechanics.

Zuidwal is Underwater

Vardon claims that although the volcano is somewhat of a novelty, it does appear to have raised the local temperature. On temperature maps extrapolated from drilling operations, this can be seen.

The lecturer went on to say that one aspect that isn't ideal is the water's ability to flow because the reservoir has a narrow reservoir.

However, a network of experts supporting regional energy initiatives known as Energiewerkplaats Fryslân has published an exploratory study into the potential of 500-meter or three-kilometer structures combined with a district heating system, with an approximate total cost of between €143 million and €188 million, equivalent to more than US$200 million, according to Energy Portal EU.

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Looking Forward to Community Energy

Even though the local area must raise 30% of the total cash, the project's director, Johannes Lankester, is still upbeat about the strategy.

Lankester highlighted the value of community ownership, or MienskipsEnergie in Frisian, and thinks it is technically feasible.

The South-West Friesland local council is looking for funding from the European Union and the government to create a public heating network and investigate alternative energy sources. They see geothermal heat as a vital addition to their energy mix, therefore they intend to dig for it near Bolsward in about 2027.

However, due to previous earthquakes in Groningen brought on by gas extraction, the Dutch mining authority is concerned, necessitating the need for more details on the initiative's possible hazards.

Diana Tronco, an Inco-Drilling project advisor, emphasizes the project's balanced approach involving two wells-one for extraction of water and one for reinjection-and sees the possibility of geothermal energy, The Guardian reported.