Geothermal water energy another alternative for Azerbaijan
By Nigar Orujova
Technical and economic indicators and ways of using geothermal water have been explored in Azerbaijan.
According to the Industry and Energy Ministry, the country possesses 400 million cubic meters per day of operated geothermal water with 30C-100C temperature.
The Caspian coastal and Guba region, Kura-Araz lowland and Talysh-Lankaran area are promising from the viewpoint of the usage of geothermal water, according to the ministry.
The energy of underground water in the first two areas is beneficial for the heating of housholds in the region, and the latter for balneotherapy, as well as agriculture.
In addition, Azerbaijani territory has great potential for solar energy use. The intensity of solar energy varies from 0.8 to 1.2 kWt per square meter on the Absheron Peninsula, Kur-Araz lowland and Nakhchivan. Promising applications of this potential include the creation of a solar energy cadastre and solar digital maps, implementation of the observations and measurements project in this field, and realization of the solar park project, the ministry said.
Thermal waters are one of the most stable sources of energy in the world with their temperatures reaching 50,000 degrees in the Earth's core.
Geothermal energy is an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels and is the most abundant energy resource. Azerbaijan, rich in thermal waters with temperatures reaching 35C-1,000C degrees, can use this alternative in everyday life.
Taking into account the geothermal data for Azerbaijan, the energy can be produced in the Greater Caucasus, Absheron Peninsula, the seaside Guba area, Kura-Araz lowland, and the Lesser Caucasus, Talysh-Lankaran, Jalilabad-Zar, Shamakhi-Gobustan zones, between the Ajinohur-Kura-Iori interfluve and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
The temperature of thermal waters in the seashore in the Guba region is up to 36C-850C degrees, with a total stock of 57,000 cubic meters per day. Some 25,000 cubic meters of this volume are used in households, spa treatment for external and internal use and boilers.
The temperature of thermal waters of the Kura-Araz lowland reaches 35C-9,500C degrees, with salinity of 4,4-40 g/l and the total stock of around 242,314 cubic meters per day. 40 percent of this energy is used in balneology and everyday life.
Springs and wells of the Talysh-Lankaran zone are flush with thermal waters with temperatures ranging between 35C and 640C, and salinity of 7-43 g/l, with some 25,600 cubic meters per day available in wells, and 6,272.8 in springs. Local thermal springs are used only in balneology spas.
Thermal waters of the Absheron Peninsula and in the lowlands of Kura can be used in the chemical industry in the production of iodine, bromine and boron because of their high salinity of 39-150 g/l.
Azerbaijan, which has abundant alternative energy sources, started usage of their resources with the establishment of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources in 2009.
Currently, 10 percent of the power produced in the country falls to the share of hydropower plants. There are six hydropower plants and 13 thermal power plants in the country. The Agency plans to double the share of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan to 20 percent by 2020.