Geologist stands trial for triggering earthquakes in Switzerland/Real life Mad Scientist

Markus Haering, who designed the geothermal project, rejected allegations that he deliberately damaged properties and said local people knew the risks. The deep drilling underground caused a series of earthquakes in 2006, including one of 3.4 magnitude, rattling residents of the north-western city of Basel. Geopower Basel, the project leader, has already paid around 9 million Swiss francs (£5.3 million) in compensation for cracked walls and other damage on properties near the experiment

The experiment aimed to be the world's first to generate power commercially by boiling water on naturally occurring rocks 3 miles underground

Source


This could be so crazy if someone pursued this.

Thoughts?

This reminds me of this guy back in the 80's that had the idea to build houses with shafts going down to the geothermal level so you could get free heat an thus electricity for the house. I have no idea what became of this idea.

Geothermal Electricity Booming in Germany

Electricity from geothermal sources is set to soar in Germany -- and all thanks to a law that has made drilling wells deep enough to hit the hot temperature water, which is needed to produce electricity, financially viable.

www.renewableenergyworld.com...

What is new this has happened on other geothermal projects.
This is what you have to put up with for GREEN ENERGY.
en.wikipedia.org...
www.nytimes.com...

The geothermal fields at coso geothermal field is also a area of man caused earthquakes.

The Coso Volcanic/geothermal Field is one of the most seismically active regions in the United States, producing dozens of tremors in the M1 and M2 range each week. Tremors in the M3 range occur at a rate of 2-6 per month and M4 quakes occur two-three times each year. Recent activity in the M5 range happened in 1996 and 1998 when tremors of M5.3, M5.1, M5.2, and M5.0 occurred with a day of each other. These tremors were actually recorded along the eastern side of the Coso Volcanic/geothermal Field, 15 miles (24 km). September 30, 2009 to October 6, 2009 there have been 429 earthquakes ranging from 0.1 up to a 5.2. Some days have activity just about one every minute. On October 2, 2009 there were three earthquakes (5.2, 4.7, and a 4.9) all with in one hour of each other.
en.wikipedia.org...

you can see the quakes for the coso geothermal field between China Lake
and Lone Pine calif.
quake.wr.usgs.gov...

They also have earthquakes at the Salton Sea Geothermal plants.
On this map the Geothermal plants are at the south east end of the Salton Sea and northwest of Brawley calif
quake.wr.usgs.gov...
ludb.clui.org...
www.calenergy.com...

These Salton Sea plants are right on the San Andreas fault and could cause a big one.

But you can blame the AGW people when you get a little Calif rock and roll.

[edit on 17-12-2009 by ANNED]

Originally posted by ANNED
The geothermal fields at coso geothermal field is also a area of man caused earthquakes.

The Coso Volcanic/geothermal Field is one of the most seismically active regions in the United States, producing dozens of tremors in the M1 and M2 range each week. Tremors in the M3 range occur at a rate of 2-6 per month and M4 quakes occur two-three times each year. Recent activity in the M5 range happened in 1996 and 1998 when tremors of M5.3, M5.1, M5.2, and M5.0 occurred with a day of each other. These tremors were actually recorded along the eastern side of the Coso Volcanic/geothermal Field, 15 miles (24 km). September 30, 2009 to October 6, 2009 there have been 429 earthquakes ranging from 0.1 up to a 5.2. Some days have activity just about one every minute. On October 2, 2009 there were three earthquakes (5.2, 4.7, and a 4.9) all with in one hour of each other.
en.wikipedia.org...

you can see the quakes for the coso geothermal field between China Lake
and Lone Pine calif.
quake.wr.usgs.gov...

I just want to point out that the Owens valley is seismically active with or without the help of humans. Geothermal plants just take advantage of already hot areas to generate power.

Originally posted by links234
I just want to point out that the Owens valley is seismically active with or without the help of humans. Geothermal plants just take advantage of already hot areas to generate power.

That would be my observation too. Just because they drilled and there was an earthquake, doesn't necessarily mean the drilling caused the earthquake.

On the other hand, if the frequency of earthquakes increased after drilling, then they might have a valid case, I guess that's the kind of data a court needs to examine.