Utility granted geothermal permit in Southern Upper Rhine

Freiburg im Breisgau/ Germany (source: flickr/ geoterranaute, creative commons)

The State Office for Geology, Raw Materials and Mining (LGRB) in the regional council of Freiburg (RP) in Southern Germany has granted the WärmePlus, a subsidiary of local utility Badenova, a permit under mining law to locate geothermal energy in the “Southern Upper Rhine” field. As the RP announced yesterday, the specialist authorities and municipalities were involved in the process as carriers of public concerns. We previously reported on geothermal plans of the utility.

In the next three years, Badenova would like to explore and evaluate the geothermal potential of the subsurface in the area between Freiburg, Breisach and Müllheim. For this purpose, known geoscientific data is evaluated and new data on the nature of the subsoil in the Upper Rhine Rift is to be obtained using modern geophysical measurements. A geothermal project to develop deep geothermal energy is then to be prepared at a suitable location. The aim is to use geothermal energy for heat supply.

Exclusivity in exploring and seeking out geothermal energy

The permit under mining law allows the company to exclusively explore and develop geothermal energy in the permit field. Other companies are denied such activities. The holder of the permit is obliged to carry out a planned exploration according to the work program outlined in the application and to report annually to the RP on the results and to coordinate the progress of the exploration.

Exploration work at specific locations such as geophysical measurements or drilling is not yet permitted under the permit. Such exploration work requires further approval steps, in which the public agencies are involved. The RP also requires intensive public relations work by the company in order to prepare and support concrete exploration work.

The RP points out that Badenova has already carried out extensive studies on the use of geothermal energy in Breisgau and Markgräflerland in recent years. The experience gained in this way forms an important basis for the current planning.

Source: Regional Council Freiburg via our German partner TiefeGeothermie