The precious energy source waits 'wake up'

As a renewable energy source, less polluting and commonly used in the world, but in Vietnam, geothermal is being neglectedly wasted.

According to scientists, geothermal appears at a depth of four kilometers underground, always has a hot air flow over 100 degrees C. In Vietnam, only at the My Dinh National Convention Center is using a part Geothermal source for cooling.

Saving VND 1,600 billion each year

Scientists said that the air conditioning system is being used by many buildings, offices and households to take air from high temperatures (in the hot season) to convert into temperature. Low, providing air cooling.

In contrast, in the cold season, the system will transform the heat from the very low air temperature to the appropriate temperature for warming (the air temperature and the temperature after the heat changes from 5-12 degrees Celsius). . It is the difference in air temperature and temperature that needs to be regulated at such a high level, making the energy consumption increase.

According to estimates of Dr. Doan Van Tuyen, Department of Physical - Geology, Institute of Geology, consumption for air conditioning in Vietnam has now reached 2.5 billion kWh. If exploiting geothermal by heat pump technology, at least save 1/3 of the electricity consumption, equivalent to 0.8 billion kWh. If the electricity price is calculated at 2,000 VND per kWh, it will save 1,600 billion VND per year.

Dr. Tuyen said that in Hanoi, the depth of 15 - 80 m below the ground has a year-round stable temperature of 25 - 27 degrees Celsius and is not affected by weather and outside temperatures. This is called a thermostatic zone, an ideal place to turn air from cold, hot into a suitable temperature without an air conditioner and consuming a lot of power.

Measuring temperature in drilling wells outside Hanoi. Photo of Institute of Geology

This method of exploiting this valuable energy source is also not complicated. Just drill into the ground to the neutral layer, bringing the devices to resonate the cooling air down to the large cooling scale. Then, just pump air from above to this floor and bring it back to the room to use.

For example, the soil temperature in Hanoi is 26 degrees Celsius, the average air temperature is 32 degrees Celsius, Dr. Tuyen said, the room temperature regulation at 26 degrees C is simply a normal soil heat pump. When a room or laboratory temperature is required to be lower than 26 degrees Celsius, there will be a modulation mode similar to a traditional air-conditioning system, but it will be simpler and consume less fuel.

Many, but not yet used

Analysts, in addition to saving VND 1,600 billion, the use of geothermal also reduces emissions of at least 250,000 tons of CO2 per year, especially this energy source is renewable. Notably, geothermal is used not only for the purpose of neutralizing heat, but also for the purpose of power generation.

For low-temperature, low-capacity electricity generation technology, the temperature is only about 100 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, many regions and geothermal sinks at a depth of four kilometers have a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius, absolutely It is possible to build power plants, not to mention geothermal plants occupy nearly three times less construction area than coal-fired thermal power plants with the same capacity.

According to the evaluation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Dung, Faculty of Economics and Natural Resources Management, Water Resources University, Vietnam's deep geothermal resources are not as rich as those in the Mediterranean region. Himalayan, Eastern and Western Pacific ranges . but are also quite potential.

In which, West Bac Bo is the place with the most geothermal sources with 78 sources, Nam Trung Bo 73 sources . In addition, in the Northern and Southern regions, geothermal sources have no conditions to emerge. natural, but still deep and only discovered by bore holes.