Geothermal to supply heat to federal buildings in Switzerland

Night view over Biel, Switzerland (source: flickr/ Terminals & Gates)

The Swiss Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FOBL) is currently realizing several new construction and renovation projects for the Federal Office of Sport (BASPO) in Magglingen in Switzerland, so a release today. At the same time, a large part of the energy supply is being renewed. In the future, buildings are to be supplied with geothermal or geothermal energy from a depth of around 1,300 meters. This is a first for federal buildings. With the switch to geothermal energy, CO2 emissions are reduced by over 90 percent.

The National Sports Center in Magglingen (NSM) has dozens of buildings such as sports halls, accommodation, training facilities, sports medicine rooms and administrative buildings. Most buildings today are heated with gas. These decentralized gas heating systems are now to be replaced by the environmentally friendly heat source geothermal energy. The centrally generated geothermal energy is distributed to all existing and new buildings via a new district heating network. If the annual CO2 emissions are more than 1,300 tons today, they will drop by over 90 percent to around 70 tons in the future.

Warm deep water for the district heating network

Geothermal energy is a practically emission-free source of energy. The entire heat demand of the NSM infrastructure of more than 6 GWh per year can in future be met without a combustion process. A prerequisite for this is a sufficiently large water reservoir with good flow properties in the subsoil. In Magglingen a depth of around 1,300 meters is targeted and warm water with a temperature of 30 to 50 ° C is expected. The warm water is pumped to the surface of the earth through a first borehole. A heat exchanger takes the heat from the water and transfers it to the district heating network. The water cooled down in this way is returned to the subsoil via a second borehole. Earthquakes are not to be expected with such a system, since no pressure is generated in the deep rock.

Exploration of the subsoil necessary

Although geological reports suggest warm deep water in the underground of Magglingen, the existence of this heat reservoir can only be confirmed through detailed investigations and a test drilling. If there is no or too little warm water, a central wood chip heating system is used as an alternative.

Currently increased construction activity in Magglingen

In addition to the renewal of the energy supply, the BBL is currently realizing several new construction and renovation projects for the BASPO: The Lärchenplatz University and the training hall have been under construction since 2020. In the current year, an artificial turf field at the “End der Welt” stadium will be replaced. These projects result in various construction sites and traffic restrictions. In addition, construction of the new accommodation and training building will start in 2022. Most of the construction work is expected to be completed in 2024.

Information events in Magglingen and Biel

The BBL and the BASPO invite the population of Leubringen / Magglingen to an information event on September 30, 2021. The BBL is also organizing an information event on the subject of geothermal energy in Biel on October 21, 2021. This will take place at 6 p.m. in the Volkshaus Hall in Biel.

Source: Schweizer Bundesrat