Geothermal drilling will begin in April in the municipality of Nuenen. A drilling rig is being built in the village of Stad van Gerwen. The drilling is part of a study into geothermal energy in the Netherlands.
The study will look at whether geothermal energy can be part of the Dutch energy mix in the future. This heat comes from water flows deep underground. For every kilometre of depth, the heat increases by 30 degrees.
And since a large part of the energy demand is for heating, geothermal heat could be used to meet this demand. Drilling for this research has already taken place elsewhere in the Netherlands.
No probleem
In Nuenen, a hole will be drilled to a depth of about 1,900 metres. The water at that depth is calculated to be around 60 degrees. “We already know a lot about the Dutch underground”, Meindert Smallenbroek told local broadcaster LON on behalf of the Union of Water Authorities. “This is because of the oil and gas production in recent years, but we are carrying out this research to learn more about the ground”.
The drilling will not be used to bring geothermal heat to the surface. People living in the area will not be affected by the drilling. Once the research has been completed, the hole will be plugged and the scaffolding removed.
TNO
The study is funded by the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth and will be carried out by Energie Beheer Nederland and TNO. The preparatory work is expected to be completed in a month’s time, so that the study can start in April.
Source: Studio040.nl
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
