Towards a Thermal Backbone for Andromeda

Tom VAN HAREN, VITO - Belgium

Transcript

1. vito.be Towards a thermal backbone for Andromeda Ground-source thermal energy systems for Antarctic stations Tom Van Haren, Johan Van Bael
2. vito.be Beyond net-zero § Current state • PEA = benchmark in renewable production and usage efficiency § Challenges: • Renewable energy production remains intermittent & strongly seasonal • Leads to: - periods of energy excesses and shortages - reliance on short-term storage and balancing • à Can we improve thermal energy storage and utilization? § Opportunities: • Increasing autonomy + robustness of thermal energy supply. • Andromeda à Innovator + living lab for thermal energy utilization in remote polar environments / space analogues Supporting long-term thermal energy utilization
3. vito.be A potential approach § Subsurface as key player: 1. Stable low-temp source for heat pumps (GSHP) 2. Heat pump upgrades and transfers heat to building 3. Standard: < 500m, 10-1000 kW § Advantages: • Higher efficiency and stable source (COP>1) • Weather-independent & robust • Energy grid balancing & load shifting • Reduces reliance on short-term storage and backup systems Ground-source heat pumps
4. vito.be A potential approach § Rapid deployment in remote regions in last 15 years! • Strong expansion in Nordic countries (e.g. Finland) • Pilot Canada (Nunavik, Québec) • US (Fairbanks, Alaska) Ground-source heat pumps
5. vito.be State of the art § Case Finland (Fennoscandian Shield): • Crystalline bedrock → strong geothermal analogue to Sør Rondane Mountains • Large-scale deployment (~140,000 GSHP systems installed (Gehlin, 2019)) • Deep market penetration: since 2013 >50% new detached houses have GSHP § Case Fairbanks, Alaska (Oh et al., 2025): • Active GSHP system used in buildings & campuses • Seasonal storage • Total thermal output: ~1.5 – 1.63 GWh/year, 40 boreholes (~180 m depth) • Drilling cost ~185 €/m • Pilot GSHP deployment (CEN research program) § Case Nunavik, Québec (Cavalérie et al., 2025): • Pilot GSHP deployment combined with Solar PV (CEN research program) • Estimated thermal output: ~5.8 – 22.9 MWh/year per borehole (100–300 m depth) • Estimated drilling cost between 30€-185€/m • Predicts outperforming classic diesel heating (e.g. ~ €110k vs ~€170k over 50 years) Ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) in cold & remote regions
6. vito.be GSHP as thermal backbone Scenario’s § Subsurface not only for foundation purposes, but also for stable energy use § Components: 1. HP connected to single well geothermal (SWG) system 2. Possible extension: thermal storage - Excess power to heat - Stored as low-enthalpy heat - Recovery during peak demands/low renewable production § Scenario = based on station’s requirements & site-conditions: A. Foundation-integrated B. Connected to multiple shallow boreholes C. 1 deep borehole A. B. C.
7. vito.be GSHP as thermal backbone Feasibility study § 4 Key elements: • Subsurface understanding - Features & heterogeneity • Technical feasibility - Scenario dependent • Energy system integration - Integration into station’s design • Environmental & Regulatory - Environmental protection framework (Antarctic Treaty / Madrid Protocol) - Clarifying regulatory framework for geothermal station applications
8. vito.be General phased approach § Phase 1 — Feasibility § Phase 2 — Design integration § Phase 3 — Pilot / deployment decision § Phase 4 — Deployment § Phase 5 — Operation, optimization Step-by-step, derisking approach
9. vito.be GSHP as thermal backbone Conclusions & recommendations § Ground-sourced heat pump, too good to ignore! § Consider GSHP in early design phase • impact on energy, site, structure, planning, safety. § Feasibility screening required (geology + energy system) • Identify key data gaps (subsurface, drilling, integration) • Define clear decision criteria (when to proceed / when not) § Ensure early alignment on regulatory pathway (EIA & Antarctic framework)
11. vito.be Thank you for your attention. Tom Van Haren VITO – Department RMA tom.vanharen@vito.be +32 (0)14 33 59 85