WHere it all Started
Originally published in 2019, this article captures some of the questions that shaped the origins of EAPOSYS: how can Switzerland decarbonize while maintaining a secure energy supply, and what role could deep geothermal play?
This work was presented as a poster at the Swiss Geoscience Meeting (SGM) 2019 by the team that would go on to build EAPOSYS, exploring the potential role of deep geothermal energy in Switzerland’s transition toward carbon neutrality. The early concept and the people behind it marked the beginning of the EAPOSYS journey.
THE CHALLENGE: SWITZERLAND’S ENERGY TRANSITION
Switzerland’s commitment to carbon neutrality comes alongside two other major challenges: reducing dependence on fossil energy and progressively replacing nuclear generation. The Energy Strategy 2050 therefore requires a substantial expansion of renewable energy.
LOOKING BEYOND DEPLOYMENT TARGETS
The original article identifies three questions that should be considered when assessing the transition: the pace of deployment, the resources required to build new energy infrastructure, and the energy returned relative to the energy invested.
THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP GEOTHERMAL
Deep geothermal offers substantial theoretical potential, but in 2019 deployment remained constrained by technological maturity and concerns including induced seismicity. The work presented here marked an early stage in developing an alternative approach focused on improving closed-loop geothermal efficiency while considering material, energy and whole-life requirements.