ARTS
Underground energy storage is one of the most promising alternatives for the efficient use of energy with regards to the energy transition. In the ARTS project (Aquifer’s Reaction to Thermal Storage), we investigate the impact of using the subsoil as a thermal battery on the underlying aquifer, with particular emphasis on the changes in water chemistry, microbial activity, and microbial community composition derived from the cyclic heating and cooling of the subsoil.
High-Temperature Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (HT-BTES) systems use the subsoil as a heat-exchanger to both store and recover heat depending on the season, using the ground as a thermal battery. They allow storing the excess of energy captured during the summer months deep in the subsurface, which is then available again for extraction in the winter months. From its operation, significant temperature gradients are induced in the subsoil. With the ARTS (Aquifer Reaction to Thermal Storage) project, we plan to contribute to the development of greener and more sustainable energy sources by understanding the effects of underground energy storage on the environment. We focus our attention on assessing the impact of changes in temperature on the hydrogeochemistry, the microbiology and microbial behavior, and the groundwater fauna composition.
We appreciate your interest in the ARTS research project. In this website, you can obtain updates and information on the study site and the project status and find a detailed description of our monitoring activities. In addition, you will find access to our public project data base, in which some of the main variables measured permanently on site are presented. We thank all project partners for their interest and support, which have helped to make the ARTS project possible.
