“Geothermal energy on the Triolet campus. Renewable energy right under our feet!”

As part of the 6th edition of National Geology Days organized by the Geological Society of France.

By Roger SOLIVA and Michel SÉRANNE, geologists at Géosciences Montpellier (CNRS, University of Montpellier).

Geothermal energy is a renewable, sustainable, carbon-free energy source. A wide variety of processes use the temperature difference between the subsurface and the surface to generate heat or cooling; however, all depend on the geothermal gradient, which is controlled by the local geological structure. Around Montpellier, hot springs attest to thermal anomalies close to the surface, explained by the local geology. We will present the geothermal potential of the Triolet Campus (Montpellier), where an old 160 m borehole produces water at 30°C. This anomaly results from deep water rising through a layer of limestone trapped between impermeable formations. Knowledge of the physical and hydrogeological properties of this structure would enable a precise assessment of the geothermal energy resource that could contribute to the energy mix of local infrastructure. This is what the ThermoTrio scientific project will attempt to validate.

Free admission.