Mapping Techno-Economic Feasibility of Geothermal Energy Resources in Alberta

Abstract

Identifying favourable locations to place geothermal projects typically starts with evaluating the geothermal gradient in a region; however, the feasibility of a project also depends on ease and costs of drilling, proximity to customers, and numerous practical factors. This research meshes a variable-price model with multiple geospatial data sets using a geographic information systems (GIS) platform to produce a map set illustrating the status of Alberta’s geothermal energy prospects for both electrical generation and direct use applications. By combining several map layers, a region’s suitability for geothermal projects is categorized by evaluating multiple criteria. Costs and potential revenues associated with development were estimated to provide an overview of geothermal energy’s economic viability across Alberta via a net present value (NPV) calculation. The resulting interactive maps provide a picture of the estimated feasibility of geothermal energy in Alberta under varying techno-economic scenarios for 40°C, 80°C, 120°C, and 150°C resource temperatures.