@article{Dhansay_de Wit_Patt_2014, title={An evaluation for harnessing low-enthalpy geothermal energy in the Limpopo Province, South Africa}, volume={110}, url={https://sajs.co.za/article/view/3736}, DOI={10.1590/sajs.2014/20130282}, abstractNote={<div style="left: 288.189px; top: 244.226px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.886396);">South Africa generates most of its energy requirements from coal, and is now the leading carbon emitter in</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 264.455px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.876828);">Africa, and has one of the highest rates of emissions of all nations in the world. In an attempt to decrease its</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 284.683px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.750652);">CO</div> <div style="left: 305.45216666666664px; top: 295.70135481770814px; font-size: 8.745px; font-family: sans-serif;">2</div> <div style="left: 309.808px; top: 284.683px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.893007);">emissions, South Africa continues to research and develop alternative forms of energy, expand on the</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 304.912px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.871649);">development of nuclear and has began to explore potentially vast shale gas reserves. In this mix, geothermal</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 325.141px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.828204);">has not been considered to date as an alternative energy source. This omission appears to stem largely</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 345.369px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.883035);">from the popular belief that South Africa is tectonically too stable. In this study, we investigated low-enthalpy</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 365.598px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.866325);">geothermal energy from one of a number of anomalously elevated heat flow regions in South Africa. Here, we</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 385.826px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.872915);">consider a 75-MW enhanced geothermal systems plant in the Limpopo Province, sustainable over a 30-year</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 406.055px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.894608);">period. All parameters were inculcated within a levelised cost of electricity model that calculates the single</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 426.284px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.884511);">unit cost of electricity and tests its viability and potential impact toward South Africa’s future energy security</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 446.512px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.793909);">and CO</div> <div style="left: 331.85616666666664px; top: 457.5301881510415px; font-size: 8.745px; font-family: sans-serif;">2</div> <div style="left: 336.212px; top: 446.512px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.841113);">reduction. The cost of electricity produced is estimated at 14 USc/KWh, almost double that of</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 466.741px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.879807);">coal-generated energy. However, a USD25/MWh renewable energy tax incentive has the potential of making</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 486.969px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.896512);">enhanced geothermal systems comparable with other renewable energy sources. It also has the potential</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 507.198px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.845769);">of CO</div> <div style="left: 321.1698333333333px; top: 518.216021484375px; font-size: 8.745px; font-family: sans-serif;">2</div> <div style="left: 325.525px; top: 507.198px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.917483);">mitigation by up to 1.5 gCO</div> <div style="left: 490.6929999999999px; top: 518.216021484375px; font-size: 8.745px; font-family: sans-serif;">2</div> <div style="left: 495.049px; top: 507.198px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.892865);">/KWh. Considering the aggressive nature of the global climate change</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 527.426px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.884987);">combat and South Africa’s need for a larger renewable energy base, low-enthalpy geothermal energy could</div> <div style="left: 288.189px; top: 547.655px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.888943);">potentially form another energy option in South Africa’s alternative energy basket.</div>}, number={3/4}, journal={South African Journal of Science}, author={Dhansay, Taufeeq and de Wit, Maarten and Patt, Anthony}, year={2014}, month={Mar.}, pages={1–10} }