Forsthaus Bern geothermal storage facility; storing heat for the winter
EWB (Energie Wasser Bern) operates a waste incineration plant, a wood-fired combined heat and power plant and a gas and steam combined heat and power plant at the Forsthaus energy centre. These plants generate electricity and heat. The heat produced is supplied to the district heating network. The "geothermal storage" pilot project aims to store surplus heat and utilise it in the winter months.
Testing the geostorage
Three boreholes were sunk to a depth of 500 metres and fitted with steel casing. A team of earth scientists from the University of Bern and geological engineers from Geo-Energie Suisse, together with specialised companies such as Solexperts, are examining the rock for its suitability as a geothermal reservoir. Parallel to the evaluation of the geological data, Geo-Energie Suisse is coordinating the various test phases of the storage facility in order to gain more detailed insights into the pumping and circulation behaviour of the water underground - i.e. whether the "charging and discharging" of the geothermal storage facility works as intended. These tests are expected to take around a year..
Our contribution
Solexperts provides specialist personnel and test equipment for the extensive geo-storage test programme.
- Instrumentation of the wells with multi-packer systems to isolate specific well sections
- Monitoring of flow, pressure, temperature, electrical conductivity and pH
- Groundwater sampling
- Carrying out hydraulic (crosshole) tests
- Instrumentation and execution of tracer tests
- Injection of CO2-saturated water to increase permeability (solution of lime)
Client
