Geothermal heating alliance formed in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Municipal heat suppliers and Fraunhofer IEG form the Alliance for Geothermal Energy (source: Fraunhofer IEG)

Five municipal utility companies in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), together with Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Energy IEG, have founded the “Alliance for Geothermal Energy.” The five utility companies are as follows:

Despite the favorable geological conditions of the North Rhine region, little geothermal heat has been extracted from its deep layers of rock. The alliance aims to leverage the geothermal potential of the region, making the local heat supply less dependent on geopolitical risks and volatile market prices.

“We are committed to the social task of the heat transition against the background of the climate crisis and are determined to advance deep geothermal energy together,” emphasize the representatives of the five municipal suppliers. The Alliance for Geothermal Energy wants to work for reliable legal framework conditions and fast administrative processes for geothermal projects in the most populous federal state.

Part of the agenda of the alliance is to secure investments for geothermal plants and dealing with the forecasting uncertainty during exploration. Fraunhofer IEG will be providing technical and professional support as part of the alliance.

Geothermal development in NRW has been active in the last few years. We first reported on the partnership of STAWAG and Fraunhofer IEG in Aachen in 2021. In Bochum, two wells have been drilled successfully for the provision of geothermal heat from an abandoned mine.

Source: Fraunhofer IEG