ABSTRACT
In this study, different technological risks, with focus on human health effects and environmental impacts, associated with deep geothermal energy systems are identified, characterized and, possibly, quantitatively analyzed. In order to assess the accident risk for deep geothermal systems the current study is divided into two main parts. At first, a summary of possible sources of accident risks is provided. Afterwards, risk indicators relevant for deep geothermal systems with regard to accidents causing damage to human health and the environment are defined for two of the major sources of possible consequences, which are blowouts in the
1 INTRODUCTION
Geothermal energy is an abundant, clean (low greenhouse gas emissions) and reliable natural resource. The main part of the heat (∼80-85%) is generated by the natural decay over millions of years of radiogenic elements from the continental crust and the earth’s mantle, such as uranium, thorium and potassium (e.g., Tester et al., 2006).
