Geology of Kaiserslautern
Potential for hydrothermal geothermal energy is suspected in the Kaiserslautern area. However, compared to other regions in Germany, such as the Bavarian Upper Jurassic or the Upper Rhine Graben – there are currently hardly any reference projects in this area. So far, only the company Wipotec has successfully tapped around 50 °C at a depth of approx. 1,500 meters into the Rotliegend.
Based on this knowledge, the rock formation is now being explored in more detail. The focus of this exploration is the so-called Rotliegend, a sandstone layer that is expected to be found at a depth of around 2,300 to 3,300 meters below Kaiserslautern and dips towards the southwest.
Since higher temperatures can be reached at greater depths, initial reports assume that deep water with a temperature of around 100 °C could be found. In addition to sufficiently high temperatures, a high flow rate and availability are also crucial for operating a hydrothermal geothermal plant. 3D seismic exploration will now provide a more detailed representation of the subsurface. Furthermore, conclusions can be drawn about interesting structures in which water could flow.
