Preparations underway for Eavor geothermal project in Hanover, Germany

Market Church in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany (source: User:Pschemp via Wikimedia Commons)

Preparatory work is set to begin at a plot of land in the Lahe district in the city of Hanover, Germany, for a geothermal project to be developed by Eavor GmbH (Eavor). Surveys for explosive ordnance and a preliminary subsoil investigation will start within October 2024, with extensive seismic surveys expected to be carried out by spring of 2025.

The drill site is then to be prepared by autumn 2025 for planned drilling by mid-2026. Construction work on the heating plant will be then in parallel with drilling. If all goes according to plan, the system will be delivering green and sustainable heating by spring of 2027.

The framework for this geothermal project was established with the signing of a heat supply contract between Eavor and heat regional utility Enercity AG in the latter half of 2023. Under the contract, Eavor will be supplying 30 MW of geothermal heat for the district heating grid of Hanover using the Eavor-Loop™ technology.

As part of a leasehold agreement, Eavor has been provided by the city with a plot of land on the corner of Kirchhorster Straße and Alte Peiner Heerstraße in the Lahe district.

“We are pleased to be taking another step towards the heat transition and to be able to establish a geothermal project here in Hanover that sets standards. The project makes an important and innovative contribution to climate protection,” said Anja Ritschel, Head of the Department of Economics and Environment in the state capital of Hanover.

“With CO2-free geothermal energy, we can cover around 15 percent of Hanover’s district heating needs. This alone corresponds to the annual needs of up to 20,000 apartments,” added Dr. Marc Hansmann, Board Member at enercity.

“We think it’s good that we are starting the joint project now. With our innovative technology, we will show what contribution we can make to the heat transition,” said Daniel Mölk of Eavor GmbH.

More details on the project will be presented publicly at the meeting of the Bothfeld-Vahrenheide district council on the 23rd of October.

Source: Hannover City News