On 31th of October, Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Workgroup had the pleasure to bring Sean Watson, a PhD student from Glasgow University, for a very interesting field trip to Piancastagnaio geothermal plant. Sean is doing a doctorate on the use of deep borehole heat exchangers for thermal uses, one our geothermal research sectors, so we are collaborating to improve the field.
The connection with Enel Green Power is a great opportunity for HGW and for our students; thanks to the openness of the Enel staff, we had the chance to organize different field trips to the geothermal plants since 2016.
Wednesday, Ing. Paolo Orsucci has guided us in the tour of Piancastagnaio PC3 power plant (20MWe), explaining all the processes that involve the production of electricity in the geothermal power plant and the thermal uses of the fluid. The PC3 plant is part of the geothermal area of Amiata; between 2011 and 2013 Enel Green Power carried out a total restyling of the plant which included the installation of the AMIS facility for the abatement of non condensable gases and mercury. The plant provides heat for the greenhouse crops of Floramiata, and several companies and farms near the geothermal area. The geothermal resource offers several types of applications, depending by the requested temperature, and it is very interesting to understand how the technology is studied and adapted to the specific final use in order to find the better solution.
HGW thanks the Enel staff and especially Ing. Orsucci for the time he has dedicated to us.
If you want to visit the geothermal power plants, let’s check of the “Centrali aperte” days of Enel.
Hydrocarbons & Geotermics Workgroup 