Implications of urban land-use standards for geothermal district heating feasibilities

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7097336

Allen, E M

The relationship between typical urban land-use standards and geothermal district heating feasibilities is examined. It is suggested that district heating, as a major commercialization mode for geothermal energy, will be considerably impeded outside of central business districts by land-use standards which are generally too low in density for cost-effective geothermal distribution; and by locational and spatial inconsistencies between resource production areas and overlying land-use energy requirements. A case example is given for Klamath Falls, Oregon, where a geothermal district heating system is presently under construction. A majority of the municipal residential density standards are calculated as being marginally within minimum thermal load density requirements for district heating. As a result, expansion of the system beyond the central business district may depend largely on revised land-use standards and patterns. Recommendations are suggested for employing such revised land-use standards and patterns as incentives for district heating, including higher allowable residential densities, mixed-use zoning for higher load factors, and locational designations based on a geothermal reservoir-heat load match among land-uses.

• Research Organization: Eliot Allen and Associates, Inc., Salem, OR
• OSTI ID: 7097336
• Report Number(s): CONF-811015-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
151000* -- Geothermal Energy-- Direct Energy Utilization
DISTRICT HEATING
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GEOTHERMAL DISTRICT HEATING
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEMS
HEATING
HEATING LOAD
HEATING SYSTEMS
LAND USE
PLANNING
STANDARDS
URBAN AREAS