According to an article in the Aargauer Zeitung, zen
Aargau’s geothermal cadastre reveals: electricity could be generated from geothermal energy here in future
The canton of Aargau has assessed its geothermal potential and made the findings available online for the first time. Opportunities are evident particularly in the south of the canton – including for electricity generation.
Potential for electricity from geothermal energy in Aargau
The canton of Aargau wishes to promote the use of geothermal energy and move beyond the current focus on heat extraction alone (using geothermal probes). The aim is to also produce electricity from deeper layers of the earth in future.
The new geothermal cadastre
The Energy Division of the Department of Construction, Transport and the Environment (Bau, Verkehr und Umwelt, BVU) has compiled a publicly accessible geothermal cadastre. This serves as a planning aid for investors and project developers to identify viable sites at an early stage.
Key findings of the analysis:
Focus on the Muschelkalk aquifer: This water-bearing rock layer (Schinznach Formation) is considered particularly suitable from both a technical and economic perspective.
Regional differences:
- Aare and Limmat valleys: Here, the layer lies at a shallower depth. Drilling is less expensive, but the temperatures are primarily suitable for heat production.
- Southern part of the canton: Due to the greater depth, higher temperatures prevail there, which could enable electricity generation.
However, this requires more expensive drilling (crystalline rock) that could be expanded to areas where petrothermal systems would be utilised.
Advantages of geothermal energy
Geothermal energy is seen as a key pillar for the 2050 net-zero target. It is available in virtually unlimited quantities, requires little land area and has a minimal impact on the environment.
Access to the data
The suitability maps are available via the canton’s geoportal. Users can switch flexibly between different datasets (heat vs. electricity use, surface vs. subsurface).
Link to the newspaper article