‘Vibrator trucks’ to track down green power source
VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research, is eager to use geothermally-heated groundwater recovered from under the earth’s surface to produce environment-friendly or green power. To this end it’s sending out ‘vibrator lorries’ across the Kempen District in a bid to find sources of this energy.
The distinctive trucks will crisscross the highways and byways of the towns of Mol, Dessel and Balen in coming weeks. In all three vibrator trucks are being deployed. The lorries will stop every 40 metres or so to check whether there is any geothermally-heated groundwater deep under the surface. The trucks are all equipped with a heavy vibrator plate that sends vibrations deep into the ground to depths approaching 4,000 metres.
“Measuring equipment will monitor the vibrations” says VITO’s Ben Laenen. “In this way a kind of echography of the ground is made and scientists are able to identify any sources of geothermally-heated groundwater.”
VITO has plans to pump up the geothermally-heated ground water and turn it into green power. Similar trucks will soon also be looking for this source of green power in Limburg and the Netherlands too. Trucks will be bound for Lommel and Pelt (Limburg) and the Dutch towns of Valkenswaard and Bergeijk north of the border.