Modelling of the heat dynamics of a geothermal well at Umhvørvisstovan

One of the largest challenges the Faroese communities face today is how to store the excess
energy which is mainly produced from fluctuating wind power. The main aim of this project is to
investigate the possibility to store energy in the Faroese basalts, which, if successful would be one
sustainable way to store excess energy for later usage.
Based on measurements from a geothermal well prepared for experiments, parameters for a 3D
numerical model for heat dynamics in the subsurface are determined.
The 3D modelling is verified to model the heat recovery of the well during one week of
measurements, after one year of consumption. Further, modelling of short-term heat response, of
varying operation conditions during 3 weeks, are verified by measurements.
Determining the parameters for geothermal modelling is the first step in modelling storing of
excess electric power. This is of great importance since experiments with high-temperature wells
are not feasible due the large amount of energy needed to raise the temperature significantly.