Ground-level insights: the crucial role of cables in geothermal monitoring

15 Jan 2025

Geothermal energy, sourced from beneath the Earth’s crust, is becoming more and more widely utilized for electricity generation, district heating and industrial processes.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), geothermal energy is employed for electricity production in over 30 countries globally, with top EU adopters being Italy, Germany, Portugal, France, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Iceland.

While geothermal energy offers numerous benefits such as less harm to the environment than fossil fuels, being sustainable and renewable since reserves are refilled naturally and some others, there are still challenges which hinder its widespread adoption.
Apart from high initial costs and long regulatory procedures, there is a lack of public awareness and understanding of geothermal energy. Many people are unaware of its potential as a renewable energy source, and there is a need for outreach to raise awareness and promote its development.

Although geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable energy source, environmental concerns are still associated with its development. Geothermal power plants require drilling deep into the Earth’s surface, which can impact local ecosystems and geothermal reservoirs. In some cases, the use of geothermal energy can also lead to land subsidence, which can cause damage to nearby infrastructure.

To address these concerns, it is important to conduct thorough environmental assessments before the development of geothermal energy projects. This should include monitoring of local ecosystems and geothermal reservoirs, as well as measures to minimize the impact of land subsidence.

And that’s where Wires&Bytes cables for monitoring purposes come in handy and especially cables with DSS (Distributed Strain Sensing) element for geo-technology investigation such as subsidence or ground movements. Along with a standard DFOS-based product line designed for geothermal purposes and structural health monitoring, there is an option to design and produce a tailored application driven construction as per Customer specifications.
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Source of the image: unsplash.com