Kimmo Korhonen

Geophysicist — Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)

About

My work spans the full modelling stack for geothermal heat transfer: from finite-element and analytical borehole-heat-exchanger models to the neural-network surrogates that turn them into fast and interactive design tools.

I am a geophysicist in the geoenergy research team of the Energy and Construction Solutions Group (ERR) at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). My focus is heat transfer in geological media and inside borehole heat exchangers, from shallow geothermal borehole fields to medium-deep borehole heat exchangers.

For finite-element work I use COMSOL Multiphysics®. For analytical models I write my own Python codes on top of the pygfunction library. I build neural-network surrogate models in PyTorch and use them in standalone design tools for near-instant execution.

Selected Projects

eVala (Energiakaivokenttien vaikutusalueen laskentatyökalu)

Project manager of this ongoing collaboration between GTK and the City of Helsinki aiming to provide a free web-based tool to estimate the thermal influence of borehole fields in Helsinki.

Conference paper, EGC 2025, Zürich →

Geothermal energy potential of Estonia

Developed the calculation method, calculated the geothermal energy potentials, and generated the potential maps. Currently lead-authoring a research paper with colleagues from the Estonian Geological Survey (EGT).

Geoenergy Leap (EU)

Investigated the viability of thermal response testing in medium-deep boreholes with colleagues, and developing Windows software for medium-deep borehole design using deep neural network surrogate models.

Conference paper, EGC 2025, Zürich →

INTERSTORES (EU)

Working on ADTS (Active Distributed Temperature Sensing) interpretation for a forthcoming research paper, and building a thermo-hydraulic COMSOL model of the Vantaa Cavern Thermal Energy Storage (VECTES).

Shallow geothermal energy potential of Helsinki

Developed the calculation method (infinite borehole field method), performed calculations, generated maps, and co-wrote the final report.

Final report (Helsingin geoenergiapotentiaali) →

Uusimaa geothermal energy assessment

Calculated the regional geothermal energy potentials (shallow, medium-deep, and deep) and co-authored the final report with colleagues.

Final report (Uudenmaan geoenergiaselvitys) →

geoenergia.fi

geoenergia.fi is an ongoing personal project aiming to develop a free, open-to-all web app for borehole field design. The goal is a tool in the spirit of the Earth Energy Designer (EED) which delivers results at a comparable level.

Visit geoenergia.fi →

Selected Publications

Full record at Google Scholar →

Infinite borehole field model — a new approach to estimate the shallow geothermal potential of urban areas applied to central Budapest, HungaryKorhonen, K., Markó, Á., Bischoff, A., Szijártó, M., & Mádl-Szőnyi, J. (2023). Renewable Energy, 208, 263–274.

The deeper the better? A thermogeological analysis of medium-deep borehole heat exchangers in low-enthalpy crystalline rocksPiipponen, K., Martinkauppi, A., Korhonen, K., Vallin, S., Arola, T., Bischoff, A., & Leppäharju, N. (2022). Geothermal Energy, 10(12).

Uudenmaan geoenergiaselvitysHaanpää, S., Lamminmäki, T., Rautio, K., Kinnunen, T., Vähä-Vahe, A., Tuija, E., Hornborg, N., Kallio, J., Korhonen, K., Kosonen, E., Leppäharju, N., Martinkauppi, A., & Piipponen, K. (2020). Uudenmaan liiton julkaisuja E 233 – 2020.

Creating shallow geothermal potential maps for FinlandArola, T., Korhonen, K., Martinkauppi, A., Leppäharju, N., Hakala, P., Ahonen, L., & Pashkovskii, M. (2019). Proc. European Geothermal Congress 2019, The Hague, 11–14 June 2019.

Helsingin geoenergiapotentiaaliKallio, J., Korhonen, K., Wennerström, M., Sallasmaa, O., & Witick, I. (2019). Kaupunkiympäristön julkaisuja 2019:25.

Simulated temperature evolution of large BTES — case study from FinlandKorhonen, K., Leppäharju, N., Hakala, P., & Arola, T. (2018). Proc. IGSHPA Research Track 2018, Stockholm, 18–19 September 2018.

Contact

Work — GTK
kimmo.korhonen@gtk.fi

Personal — geoenergia.fi
kimmo.korhonen@iki.fi