30. Nov 2023
Thermal impact of underground car parks heat up groundwater but could serve as a heat source for households
Here you find the doctoral student’s profile of Maximilian Noethen. He published results of his doctoral studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and shared the research more widely with a press release.
- Maximilian Noethen ORCID, ResearchGate
- Research areas: Subsurface warming, Geothermal energy, Groundwater quality
- Applied Geology Group, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, MLU
Fields of expertise during doctoral studies:
- Anthropogenic warming of the subsurface
- Geothermal applications on shallow groundwater resources
- Impact of thermal pollution on groundwater quality
Curriculum Vitae
- 2021 – today: Doctoral studies in the Applied Geology group of Prof. Dr. Peter Bayer, MLU
- 2021 – today: Scholarship holder at the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU)
- 2018 – 2020: M. Sc. Applied Geosciences at MLU
- 2014 – 2018: B. Sc. Geosciences at Kiel University
Challenges, Rewards and Contribution
Q: What was your most important contribution to the publication?
A: The main contribution was to bring the very different temperature datasets from 31 sites into a form in which they could be compared and to identify the characteristics of the thermal properties of underground car parks by analyzing the similarities and differences. Presenting the geothermal energy potential created by underground car parks in Berlin was also an important contribution to the public discussion about urban heat and renewable energy.
Q: What was challenging and what was a rewarding moment during your work presented in the publication?
A: On the one hand, it was a challenge handling the different data formats and, on the other hand, dealing with the common uncertainties of subsurface data when it comes to large-scale models. However, the results of the Berlin model showed the thermal impact of underground car parks on a regional scale and were most rewarding for me.
Significance of publication
The heat given off by car engines warms up underground car parks in such a way that the heat passes through the ground into the groundwater. In Berlin alone, enough energy is transferred to the groundwater to supply 14,660 households with heat. According to the researchers, this warming could have long-term effects on groundwater quality. In their study, published in the journal “Science of The Total Environment”, they also propose a solution. Using geothermal energy and heat pumps, the heat could be extracted from the ground and utilised.
from press release no. 137/2023 of November 2, 2023
Related publication
M. Noethen, H. Hemmerle, K. Menberg, J. Epting, S.A. Benz, P. Blum, P. Bayer.
Thermal impact of underground car parks on urban groundwater.
Science of The Total Environment 903, 166572 (2023).
doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166572
About this profile
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