Presenter
Mrs. Yan Yang, Hohai University/General Insititute of Water Resouces and Hydropower Planning and Design
Co-author(s)
Prof. Baohong Lu, Hohai University
Prof. Lili Yu, General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design
Mr. Shinan Tang, General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design
Dr. Fei Chen, General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design
Sub-theme
6. Innovation for Water Governance and Management
Topic
6-7. Role of national and international law
Body
(a) The purpose of the work. Geothermal energy is one of the most important renewable non-carbon-based energy with advantages of abundant reserves, wide distribution, stability and reliability. In recent years, China has been vigorously encouraging the development of geothermal energy due to its advantages of high energy utilization efficiency and obvious CO2 emission reduction effect and experienced a rapid growth in the past decades. Apparently when the utilization intensity exceeds the sustainable rate, some geohydrological and ecological problem may occur and pose significant threats to groundwater system including drawn-down of groundwater table, seismic hazards, ground deformation and land subsidence, groundwater and soil contamination, etc. In 2021 China issued its first national level groundwater law "Groundwater Management Regulation", article 51 of which clearly puts forward the "zoning of the Prohibition Zone and Restricted exploitation area for the geothermal project requiring water extraction." For the first time, a zoning approach to geothermal management was proposed. The main task of this study is to establish a set of identification criteria and methods for identification of geothermal prohibited and restricted exploitation areas and finally give advice on control measures within the areas from the perspectives of environmental risks, recharge conditions, and resource utilization, considering the management needs and feasibility of different areas, so as to support the implementation of the regulation. (b) The key issue(s) or problem(s) addressed. This study aims to solve the problem of disorder exploitation of geothermal energy and alleviate or avoid the ecological environment problems caused by improper exploitation through the method of prohibited and restricted exploitation area mapping and differentiated control policies. (c) The methodology or approach used. Data collection and analysis was used to better summarize the current situation of geothermal energy development and utilization, the main related ecological and environmental geological problems and geothermal energy management. From the perspective of regulating the geothermal energy exploitation and reducing environmental risks, a suitability analysis index system and corresponding standard was established, which was applied to different zoning units. Depending on the results of suitability analysis, the prohibited area and restricted area could be identified. And a case study was also conducted to validate the identifying method. (d) The results or conclusions derived from the research/project/practices A method to identify prohibited and restricted exploitation area of geothermal energy was formulated and the control measures were also provided to effectively regulate the exploitation of geothermal energy.