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Geothermal energy potential of eastern desert region, Egypt

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Abstract

Future energy security and CO2 emissions investigation models indicate that the best option for Egypt is to adopt a mitigation strategy by using geothermal energy as an energy source mix and implement energy efficiency policy. The hydrothermal potential is estimated to be of the order of 158 × 106 kWh while El Faliq high heat-generating granite has the potential to generate billion kWh of electricity. Through these two geothermal energy sources, the country can mitigate CO2 reduction to the order of 20 million tones and provide sustained freshwater to domestic, agricultural and industrial sectors. Egypt in future may have to address two important issues such as guaranteed future electricity supply and freshwater supply to meet the growing population and agriculture demand. The current situation indicates that the Nile River may not be able to sustain the demand due to uncertainties in the monsoon pattern and reduction in storage capacity. A renewable energy (geothermal) source mix and implementing a sound energy efficient policy in agricultural, transport and domestic sectors will help the country to meet the future food and water demand of the country.

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for its funding of this research group No. (RG-1435-070). The corresponding author thanks the Director Indian Institute of Technology Bombay for providing the facilities for this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India

    D. Chandrasekharam & H. K. Singh

  2. Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    D. Chandrasekharam, N. Al Arifi & A. Al Bassam

  3. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, 13518, Egypt

    A. Lashin

  4. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11421, Saudi Arabia

    A. Lashin

  5. Geothermal Resources Engineering Group, Sustainable Energy Technologies Centre, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    A. Lashin

  6. Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    A. Lashin & A. Al Bassam

  7. GeoSyndicate Power Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India

    C. Varun

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  1. D. Chandrasekharam
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  2. A. Lashin
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  3. N. Al Arifi
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  6. H. K. Singh
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Correspondence to D. Chandrasekharam.

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Chandrasekharam, D., Lashin, A., Al Arifi, N. et al. Geothermal energy potential of eastern desert region, Egypt. Environ Earth Sci 75, 697 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5534-4

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