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Five industry associations publish joint position paper on accelerating geothermal expansion

Source: Energy & Management Powernews, September 19, 2022

Deep geothermal energy must unleash its decarbonization potential more quickly through a federal development law. That demand five associations in a position paper.

The federal government should take over the risk of unsuccessful drilling for deep geothermal energy in a "risk hedging mechanism", the geological state data are to be collected nationwide, and the approval procedures should go faster. These are core demands that five industry associations formulated on September 16 in a position paper for a technology-specific development law at the event "Wärmewende im städten Raum mit Geothermie."

The work is very similar to the "Impulspapier" that the same associations had already published on June 1 (we reported). Only the demand that the federal program Efficient Heat Networks (BEW) should finally start, is no longer included, because since the previous day one could make BEW applications. Now the paper proposes to include geothermal also in the "individual measures funding". Involved then as now:

  • the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW)
  • the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU),
  • the German Renewable Energy Association (BEE),
  • the German Geothermal Association (BVG) and
  • the Energy Efficiency Association for Heating, Cooling and CHP (AGFW).

They point to the "price stable and sustainable" energy supply through geothermal plants. Only the development with several wells, whose success is not guaranteed, costs tens of millions. In Germany, 42 deep geothermal plants are currently in operation, generating around 1.3 billion kWh per year. The potential, however, is much higher, it was said back in June. Up to 10 billion kWh could become it up to 2045, if the heat sector in Germany is to be likewise decarbonized.

Surface geothermal systems heat today more than 440,000 single or multi-family houses country widely. Here, too, the potential is far from exhausted, he said. The German government's Easter package has so far failed to address the heat transition and energy sovereignty, the associations said in June.

Author: Georg Eble