Brunel University London is to lead a new European research project, starting this October, aimed at improving how geothermal heat is harnessed for industrial applications.
The European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme is funding the €3 million GEOFLEXheat project that will see a consortium of 12 research institutions, businesses and industry experts from across the continent tackle the challenges of geothermal systems’ scalability, integration and social acceptance.
The GEOFLEXheat consortium will focus on geothermal brine: abundant warm waters underground that in some places, such as Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon, bubble up to the Earth’s surface, rich with salts and minerals.
The project will also deliver a state-of-the-art control strategy and digital twin: a virtual model that’s updated from sensors studded throughout the system, enabling real-time management and optimisation of geothermal plants.
