Assessment of the geothermal potential in the region of Ávila (Spain): An integrated and interactive thermal approach

Abstract

Exploring and exploiting a geothermal resource has become one of the most prolific tasks for contributing to the global sustainable development. Despite this fact, several countries, such as Spain, are still far from achieving a generalized use of these renewable systems. The reason for this underuse often derives from the lack of information and characterization of the geothermal energy source. Considering this, the present research aims to provide relevant data about the geothermal potential of the Spanish region of Ávila. The geological context of this province lays the foundations for considering the region as a promising site for different geothermal uses. In order to estimate the geothermal energy potential of the region, the existing geological information has been complemented with thermal surveys carried out in the study area. The experimental measuring has consisted of the register of the underground temperature in piezometers of variable depth and natural springs distributed throughout the province. The processing of these records has allowed knowing the thermal evolution of the subsoil at the different levels evaluated in the research. Results show that there are two main potential areas in the province that could be successfully used for heating purposes (maybe as part of district heating systems) and for future deeper evaluations in the sense of Hot Dry Rock (HDR) techniques. Final conclusions have also been included in an interactive and open-source tool that allows visualizing the thermal findings with the aim of planning future geothermal uses in the region.