Singapore digs deep to unleash geothermal energy potential

Volumetric extent of hot rock where geothermal is sourced remains unknown.

Unlike its Asian neighbours, Singapore has no known shallow heat source. That is why the country exerted more efforts to unearth its geothermal potential to diversify its energy sources. It turned out that its geothermal potential could cover a sizeable portion of Singapore's energy mix, an expert said. The country's Energy Market Authority (EMA) in April issued a request for information to conduct a geophysical investigation project to assess the country's geothermal energy potential. The EMA said that progress in technologies such as the Advanced Geothermal Systems enabled the extraction of heat from hot dry rock and at greater depths, opening the potential for geothermal applications locally as the country is within a region of high subsurface heat flow.

"If found to have substantial geothermal resource potential, Singapore could consider the technology options available to deploy geothermal energy locally," the EMA said.

"Singapore has several hot springs and estimated anomalous heat flow. The higher-than-average heat flow could potentially heat up the granite rock underlying Singapore," said Alessandro Romagnoli, Associate Professor from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

In Singapore, the volumetric extent of the hot rock is unknown, Romagnoli said, adding that it is also possible that the actual potential may be less than what is expected.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), geothermal resources are thermal energy that is stored as heat in the rocks of the Earth's crust and interior. Areas with high-temperature water or water vapour at or near the surface were often called "active" geothermal areas. Water or water vapour from fissures to deeper depths in areas saturated with water may be tapped for electricity generation "at relatively low cost."