The 3-year shallow geothermal energy investigation and assessment of provincial capital-level cities was fully completed, which generally identified the shallow geothermal resource distribution of 31 provincial capital-level cities across China and conducted development and utilization suitability zonation, offering basis for the development and utilization of shallow geothermal energy in China. The total heat exchange capacity of the shallow geothermal ground-source heat pump system is: the cooling power for summer is 566 million kilowatts and the heating power summer is 448 million kilowatts, which is equivalent to the heat released by 467 million tons of standard coal. If shallow geothermal energy is effectively utilized, the cooling area for summer can be 6190 million square meters and the heating area for winter can be 8690 million square meters. Less the actual energy consumed during the operation of the shallow geothermal ground-source heat pump system, approximately 163 million tons less of standard coal will be used with the energy-saving efficiency of 35% and CO2 reduction of 390 million tons. Development and utilization of shallow geothermal energy has great implications on promoting green, low-carbon, energy-saving urbanization and on the heat supply for southern cities in winter.

Shanghai Expo Axis shallow geothermal energy development and utilization demonstration project