Mijnwater starts drilling for new heat source on Terhoevenderweg in Heerlen New source expands Parkstad’s district heating and cooling network Mijnwater has started drilling work for a new heat source at Terhoevenderweg in Heerlen, marking another important step in the expansion of its sustainable heating and cooling network in Parkstad. After a period of preparation, work began this week and is expected to continue for three to four weeks. Because the operation must be completed safely and efficiently, the drilling is taking place 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The project is part of Mijnwater’s broader effort to strengthen a low-carbon energy system for the region. The new source will tap warm groundwater in a former mine passage deep underground and feed that energy into the company’s network. For Heerlen and the surrounding area, this means further development of a district energy system that draws value from the region’s mining past while supporting a more sustainable energy ...
How Geothermal Energy Works: From Underground Heat to Electricity Grid By: Robert Buluma In 1904, the Italian town of Larderello lit five lightbulbs using nothing but the heat of the Earth. By 1913, a full-scale plant was producing 250 kilowatts there from natural steam vents. Yet more than a century later, geothermal remains one of the most underappreciated clean energy sources on the planet — today accounting for just about 0.5% of global electricity. That is beginning to change. As the world searches for reliable, round-the-clock renewable power to complement intermittent wind and solar, geothermal is attracting unprecedented attention. "Geothermal could be the backbone to providing a clean, affordable, reliable, low-cost grid," says Katrina McLaughlin of the World Resources Institute. With emerging technologies poised to unlock heat virtually anywhere beneath our feet, understanding how this remarkable resource works has never been more important. I. The Fiery Engine Dee...