Geothermal

About

The Implementation Working Group for geothermal brings together European countries and regions, the geothermal industry and researchers focusing on geothermal energy.

Geothermal energy is a valuable and local source of energy that can provide, in a cost-effective way, baseload/dispatchable electricity, heat or a combination of both. In addition, geothermal reservoirs can also act as storage sites.

The geothermal working group is pursuing the SET Plan goals of placing Europe as a leader in the low- carbon energy scene.

The geothermal working groups primary goal is to carry out the Deep geothermal implementation plan (IP), endorsed by the SET Plan Steering Committee. The DG working group is the driving force behind development and deployment of geothermal energy technologies throughout Europe.

The geothermal working group work is structured around the following objectives:

establishing the working group as a permanent network of geothermal stakeholders by involving both industry and academia in carrying out, regularly updating and monitoring the IP
ensuring the IP is carried out appropriately by linking the EU, national and regional public and private funds to geothermal research & innovation (R&I) priorities as described in the IP
keeping the IP up to date so it can always be a reference document for the development of the geothermal energy sector
carrying out the IP in cooperation with the European Commission, on the basis of the mechanisms and key performance indicators to be agreed within the working group and the SET Plan Steering Group.

For more information, see the working group support unit brochure.

The geothermal industry makes a significant contribution to the accomplishment of the European Green Deal and the Horizon Europe mission through providing renewable power, heating & cooling, thermal energy storage and geothermal minerals. Heating and cooling with renewables will be central to the renovation wave. Switching from fossil fuels to geothermal energy can decarbonise up to 25 % of the EU population’s energy needs and reduce energy bills. With today’s technology, 25 % of the European population can cost-effectively deploy geothermal heating. Geothermal power plants could provide up to 10 % of Europe’s power demand. Underground thermal energy storage will be crucial for the energy transition to bridge the seasonal gap. Furthermore, with the mineral extraction from geothermal fluids, the geothermal industry is set to become a key player in the production of sustainable lithium made in Europe.

The implementation of the geothermal implementation plan is supported by the European Technology & Innovation Platform on Deep Geothermal (ETIP-DG) and the support unit on deep geothermal.

Targets and objectives

In 2020, the working group updated its 2018 implementation plan to include new targets and activities. The new plan addresses cost reductions, integration issues, and non-technological barriers such as social acceptance of geothermal energy and risk management for geothermal projects. The implementation plan includes key actions on geothermal heat in urban areas, integration of geothermal electricity and heating & cooling in the energy system, development and exploitation of geothermal resources and cross-cutting issues such as knowledge transfer and data unification.

Composition

The working group for deep geothermal energy is co-chaired by Germany, Italy and the Netherlands and includes 12 other European countries.

Participating countries (in alphabetical order):

Countries
Belgium
Cyprus
Denmark
France
Germany (Co-Chair)
Ireland
Italy (Co-Chair)
Netherlands (Co-Chair)
Portugal
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Iceland (associated country)
Turkey (associated country)