GeoBG draft with a divided response

22.07.2025

Source: E & M powernews

The draft Geothermal Acceleration Act (GeoBG) is causing tensions in the industry. The Geothermal Energy Association, BEE and the Capital Office for Bioenergy have commented.

With the new GeoBG, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) wants to accelerate the expansion of geothermal energy, heat storage facilities and pipelines. The associations had until July 21 to submit their comments (we reported). Two key voices from the industry have commented on this - with different emphases.

The German Geothermal Energy Association (BVG) expressly welcomes the draft legislation. From the association's point of view, it is an important step that an independent parent law is to be created for geothermal energy for the first time. The BVG particularly emphasizes the stipulation of the "overriding public interest" in geothermal projects. This legal classification could speed up procedures and increase investment security. The association also sees time limits in mining and water law as well as simplifications for seismic measurements on paved roads as positive. According to the BVG, these measures could help to ensure that the more than 150 planned large-scale geothermal projects are implemented more quickly.

At the same time, the BVG is also formulating its own suggestions for improvement. For example, the association is calling for geothermal plants in outdoor areas to be privileged under building law, for special acceleration areas to be designated and for suitable public land to be made available for geothermal energy on a preferential basis - similar to wind energy. The association is critical of the existing regulation, according to which it must also be examined whether a final storage location is possible for boreholes of 100 meters or more. In the BVG's view, this limit is technically incomprehensible and makes even small projects such as geothermal plants for single-family homes more difficult.

Making better use of the potential of bioenergy

The Hauptstadtbüro Bioenergie (HBB) is much more critical of the Federal Ministry's current draft. The HBB acknowledges positively that heat pipes have been included in the law alongside heat storage systems. However, it still sees considerable room for improvement. "The GeoBG can help to leverage large renewable heat potentials and boost the heat transition," says Sandra Rostek, Head of the Capital City Office. "However, the potential of bioenergy must be taken into account more specifically."

Specifically, the HBB is calling for biogas plants to be made more flexible, the full use of woody biomass and accelerated approval of heating networks. For the latter, Rostek is proposing, among other things, an increase in the threshold values for the preliminary assessment in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act. She also advocates a new privileged status in building law to make it easier to build heat storage facilities at biogas plants. According to the HBB, this is necessary in order to decouple electricity and heat generation over time. The German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) also supports these demands. According to the BEE, the heating transition can only succeed with regulations that are open to all technologies, clear legal definitions and reliable financing for renewable heating projects.

Another point of criticism from the associations concerns the current fuel list in the 44th Federal Immission Control Ordinance. This excludes certain wood waste, for example from the construction industry, from thermal use. Sandra Rostek from Hauptstadtbüro Bioenergie calls for a more differentiated approach: not all construction and demolition waste is automatically contaminated. Many could very well serve as a sustainable source of biomass. The BEE also emphasizes that all available renewable technologies must be included.

While the Geothermal Energy Association is focusing on legal clarifications and technical simplifications, the Capital Office for Bioenergy is calling for a broader perspective: away from a pure focus on geothermal energy and towards an integrative view of all renewable heat sources. It remains to be seen whether the law will be passed in its current form - the decisive factor is likely to be whether the government can reconcile the various industry interests in the further process. According to BEE President Simone Peter, the planned classification of infrastructure projects as projects of overriding public interest is an important step towards shortening approval procedures and accelerating the expansion of climate-friendly heating technologies. The draft sends a positive signal to project developers, municipalities and consumers.

The current draft bill for the new GeoBG as of July 2, 2025 can be viewed on the website of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Author: Davina Spohn