The benchmark system
of the TRANSENERGY project - ways
forward in DARLINGe

 

 

What is benchmarking?

 

• Tool to quantify and compare the state of geothermal water management at different scales on an unique and harmonised way (Lemano approach)

• Developed for aquifers exploited by multiple users and/or in neighbouring countries to support water permit/concession granting process

• It comprises a set of indicators presented on charts using five categories (from very poor to very good) and being calculated from allocated points based on physical data or metadata information using transparent formulae

• The input requires detailed data on production, monitoring and permits per a well

• The results are generalised and should not have problems with data privacy

• As an Annex it will complement the general IGRAC Guidelines for Multidisciplinary Assessment of Transboundary Aquifers

 

 

 Existing indicators

 

 

 

 

How can we use it?

 

• Users: private-only information: comparison to regional evaluation (this is what we can offer to them in return for data – new ideas for improvement of utilisation)
• Authorities: joint large-scale information: regional, state, cross-border – improvement of policy

 

 

 

 

Who can use it?

 

Target groups:

• Users (possibilities for improvements, savings…)
• Authorities (granting water concessions, policy planning,…)
• Research institutes (availability of data, need for research,…)
• Business (free water quantities, providing monitoring equipment,…)
• Tourists/inhabitants (choose the most ‚green‘ user, foster improvements…)

 

 

What can be a result?

 

• A manual on the use of toolbox (methodology)
• A summary report with charts on 3 pilot areas and transnational evaluation
• Point data categories at the portal (as TRANSENERGY, user database)
• Individual calculator and chart drawer at the portal (per aquifer, region, area)

 

 

 

Data gathering and policy

 

Datasets
– Water Framework Directive
– Directive on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources
– National obligations related to monitoring
– EGEC recommendations for geothermal resources management
– Field inspections and interviews with users
– National datasets
– Field interviews with users

 

 

Calculation of indicators

 

1. Monitoring status

Monitoring→yearly reports→observation wells

 

2. Best available technology

WHD, materials, system, documentation

 

3. Thermal efficiency

Produced amount, water temp., waste water temp.

 

4. Utilisation efficiency

Produced amount, granted amount

 

5. Re-injection rate

Produced amount, reinjected amount

 

6. Over-abstraction

Production changes: GWL, chem., Q

 

7. Status of water balance

Renewable and available volume, critical point

 

8. Public awareness

Public data on monitoring, BAT, status, th. effic.

 

IP_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
N_tot = total number of geothermal objects on the basin level in the investigated country
Q_i = annual production rate of a geothermal object i (m³ /y)

 

 

Developing new indicators

- ‚Environmental’ parameters supplemented by economic and social parameters
- Weighted and grouped into Environmental, Economic and Social Capital

1. Thermal water quality (appropriate for type of use – scaling, precipitation)
2. Unwanted bacteria in the system (clogging - Fe, for reinjection)
3. Change in the water abstraction/energy production in the last ő years
4. Measures for sustainabe use foreseen in the permit
5. Waste thermal water treatment and quality (sewage systems, ecosystems)
6. Supply problems (peak loads, leakage, unknown by-pass)
7. Heat market demand is fulfilled
8. More details on cascade use
9. Price politics for permits, concessions (how are calculated per m 3 )
10. Availability of management information (procedures, workshops for users...)
11. Permits from exploration to exploitation phase (number, timing, complications)
12. Waste thermal water monitoring and reporting (existing or not)
13. Public awareness (questionnaires of the user‘s staff and locals on the resource)

 

 

How to start?

 

• Preliminary data collection (2017) → Field questionnaire (2018)
• Definitions of thermal water, geothermal energy resource (dublet system) 
• The treshold value for geothermal objects to be included (also balneology):

- water temperature: 20 °C, 30 °C, 50 °C ???

• The areal scale of the investigation to make data generalised enough: whole country or pilot areas with adequate number of wells/users
• The aquifer scale (3D): all aquifers in the area, only chosen aquifers…
• Reference years:

- for production and reinjection data (2015, 2016, 2017, all ?)
- monitoring status, water balance and over-exploitation assessment, publicity of data … (2017, 2018 ?)

• Inclusion of inactive wells with concession permit (Q)?

 

 

Publications

 

• SZŐCS et al. 2017: Transboundary Aquifers Guidelines, to be published by IGRAC.
• RMAN et al. 2015: Potentials of transboundary thermal water resources in the western part of the Pannonian basin. Geothermics, 2015, 55, 88-98, doi: 10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.01.013.
• SZŐCS et al. 2015: Long-term impact of transboundary cooperation on groundwater management. European geologist, 40, 29-33.
• PRESTOR et al. 2015: .Benchmarking-Indicators of Sustainability of Thermal Groundwater Management. World Geothermal Congress, IGA, Melbourne.
• NÁDOR et al. 2013: Strategy paper on sustainable cross-border geothermal utilization – TRANSENERGY. http://transenergy-eu.geologie.ac.at/, Results, WP6
• RMAN et al. 2011: Water concession principles for geothermal aquifers in the Mura-Zala Basin, NE Slovenia. Water Resources Management, 25, 3277–3299, doi: 10.1007/s11269-011-9855-5

 

 

1. Monitoring status

 

• Requirements are interdependent
• If active monitoring exists (5 points), additional points (1 to 3) can be added

 

  

 

P_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
N_tot = total number of geothermal objects on the basin level in the investigated country

 

 

2. Best available technology

 

• Requirements are independent
• Reinjection wells not evaluated

 

 

 

I_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
Q_i = annual production rate of a geothermal object i (m³y)

 

 

 

3. Energy (thermal) efficiency

• Ratio between used and available annual heat energy

 

• No re-injection applied

 

• Partial re-injection of thermal water

 

• Total reinjection

 

 

Q_{ww i} = annual discharge rate of waste thermal water of a geothermal object i (m³/y)

 

 

4. Utilization efficiency

 

• Ratio between average annual water production and maximum possible production (as in water permits)

 

• Naturally discharged thermal waters (from springs) are not accounted for

 

Q_{cap i} = installed capacity of a geothermal site i (≈ maximum allowed annual production as defined in water permit) (m³/y)

 

 

5. Bathing efficiency

 

• Not totally developed yet (lack of data); should account for medical effects.
• Production rate for filling pools should not exceed 10 m 3 per bather per day

 

 

6. Re-injection rate

 

• Ratio between annually produced and reinjected volumes of thermal water used for geothermal energy production

 

 

Q_{abs i} = annual production rate of thermal water of a geothermal object i used solely for geothermal heat production (m^3/y)
Q_{reinj i} = annual reinjection rate of thermal water of a geothermal object i used for geothermal heat production (m³/y)

 

 

7. Status of water balance assessment

 

• Knowledge on the quantity status and reliability of data
• One well can have maximum one point
• Only one statement can be selected

 

 

P_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
N_tot = total number of geothermal objects on the basin level in the investigated country

 

 

8. Over-abstraction

 

• Quantity status in strong connection with reinjection rate and water balance assessment indicators

 

I_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
Q_i = annual production rate of a geothermal object i (m³/y)

 

 

9. Quality of discharged waste thermal water

 

• Not totally developed yet (needed data was not collected)
• Not tested properly

 

 

N_{positive i} = total number of positive samples (which meet the waste water emission requirements) per year of a geothermal object i
N_{tot i} = total number of taken chemical samples per year of a geothermal object I
Q_i = annual production rate of a geothermal object i (m³/y)

 

 

10. Public awareness

 

• Overview of users’ websites, media and promotion materials
• If available, often only in national languages

 

 

P_i = number of assigned points to a geothermal object i
N_tot = total number of geothermal objects on the basin level in the investigated country

 

 

Komárno-Štúrovo Pilot Area

Aquifer:

• Upper Triassic limestones and dolomites Water use
• 23-39 °C water for bathing
• 40-60 °C water for greenhouses heating Assessment of
• 8 active Slovakian wells (2009)
• 26 active Hungarian wells (2011)

 

 

 

 

Lutzmannsburg-Zsira Pilot Area

 

Aquifer:

• Upper Pannonian sand, D dolomite Water use for balneology
• Assessment of 12 active and 3 inactive Hungarian wells
• 2 active Austrian wells