Geothermal experts from the University of Melbourne are working with Department of Primary Industries to demonstrate the efficiency of a form of renewable energy that is said will play an important role in the energy mix of Victoria’s Future.
Collecting geothermaldata will be assisted by a State Government grant
The State Government has announced a $1.6 million grant to support the work of the University of Melbourne and its industrial partners, Geotechnical Engineering and Direct Energy.
Professor Ian Johnston welcomed the grant and the opportunities the funding will provide.
“Our trial will collect important data about the use of direct geothermal energy systems in Victorian conditions, in order to help develop greater efficiency in installation practices and design. Although direct geothermal energy is still a relatively new concept in Australia, this technology is used extensively overseas with an estimated three million installations worldwide,” he said.
Direct geothermal energy uses the ground to within several tens of metres below the surface to extract heat in winter for heating and to reject heat in summer for cooling. The study claims Geothermal energy has the potential to reduce greenhouse emissions and cost of heating and cooling by up to 75%.
Under the project, the University of Melbourne Geotechnical Group, Geotechnical Engineering and Direct Energy will install geothermal heating and cooling systems into a range of buildings around Victoria and will monitor their performance.
