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 The
cooperative research projects, or tasks, undertaken in the Geothermal
Implementing Agreement (GIA) are defined and organized in Annexes
to the Agreement. The Annexes specify the R&D task objectives,
schedules, funding provisions, and identify the participants and define
their obligations. Each Annex is coordinated and administered by an
Operating Agent, generally an institution or organization, which is
usually designated by the Member country and confirmed by the Executive
Committee (ExCo). New Aannexes can be added to the GIA if the
ExCo determines that new specific issues should be examined collaboratively.
GIA participants are presently working on four research tasks specified
in four Annexes: Annexes I, III, VII and VIII (see below). Funding
for Annexes I, III and VII is of the task-sharing mode, with
that for Annex VIII intended to be both task-sharing and cost-sharing.
Participants take part only in those Annexes that are relevant to
their current national research and development programmes. It is
estimated that the level of effort spent by each Member country
on GIA activities is on the order of one to several man-years.
The Annex results are disseminated among the participating countries
and more widely through publications, international meetings and
the Internet.
Active Annexes of the IEA
Geothermal Implementing Agreement
| Annex I |
Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Energy
Development |
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This annex pursues the identification of possible environmental
effects associated with the development of geothermal energy
and devises and encourages the adaptation of methods to avoid
or minimize their impacts. |
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| Annex III |
Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) (formerly Hot Dry
Rock) |
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This annex investigates new and improved technologies that
can be used to artificially stimulate a geothermal resource
to allow commercial heat extraction. |
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| Annex VII |
Advanced Geothermal Drilling Techniques |
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This annex pursues advanced geothermal drilling research and
investigates all aspects of well construction with the aim of
reducing the costs associated with this essential and expensive
part of geothermal exploration, development and utilization. |
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| Annex VIII |
Direct Use of Geothermal Energy |
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This annex address all aspects of the technology related to
geothermal energy being used directly as heat, with emphasis
on improving implementation, reducing costs and enhancing use. |
Closed and Draft Annexes of the IEA
Geothermal Implementing Agreement
| Annex II |
Shallow Geothermal Resources |
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Though Annex II reached the draft stage, the Executive Committee
made the decision in October 2000 to close it. Its major topic,
which was associated with the application of geothermal heat
pumps, is now included in new Annex VIII Direct Use of Geothermal
Energy, which became active in September 2003. |
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| Annex IV |
Deep Geothermal Resources |
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This annex addressed issues associated with the commercial development of deep geothermal resources at depths greater than 3,000 m. Its work was closely related to that in Annexes III (EGS) and VII (Deep Geothermal Drilling) because EGS studies are being pursued in several regions where the desired high temperatures are reached at much greater depths (> 4,000 m) than in the “normal” high-temperature geothermal fields. This Annex was closed in September 2006, with unfunished activities distributed between Annexes III and VII. |
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| Annex V |
Sustainability of Geothermal Energy Utilization |
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Worldwide, people are increasingly concerned that the earth’s
natural resources be used in a environmentally friendly and
sustainable way. Geothermal energy has many attributes that
respond to this concern, but the potential of geothermal energy
in this area has not been pursued in a thorough and systematic
manner. Therefore, this Annex will evaluate the worldwide
potential of sustainable geothermal energy production. There
is considerable argument about the renewability and sustainability
of production from geothermal resources, and the study will
contribute significantly in resolving these issues. The study
will also help provide a basis for policy decisions regarding
development of geothermal resources.
The draft of this Annex produced in 2003 is currently be considered.
The US Department of Energy (United States) is designated
as Operating Agent. |
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| Annex VI |
Geothermal Power Generation Cycles |
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This proposed annex would develop scenarios as a basis
for comparison of cycles, plant performance and availability,
economics and environmental impact and mitigation. The output
would be a database and guidelines of best practice.
A draft of this Annex has been prepared, though no further
consideration was given to it in 2003. The Executive Committee
agreed that it would be implemented as soon as two or more
participants agreed to join. |
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| Annex IX |
Geothermal Market Acceleration |
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Though geothermal electricity production and direct heat
use are well developed and economically viable in many parts
of the world, there are large untapped resources in many countries.
The Executive Committee has been exploring ways to hasten
geothermal energy development, or market acceleration, in
these countries for the last few years, and decided that a
more proactive approach was needed and might include: identifying
a few regions with high geothermal potential, collating resource
assessments on a few sites and discussing with key players
(government, utilities, developers, financiers, etc.) the
barriers to progress in their regions. Consequently, a market
acceleration Annex was drafted.
However, a recent decision by the IEA Renewable Energy Working
Party (REWP) to have a market acceleration annex for all renewables
has resulted in the suspension of further development of Annex
IX. |
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