About
The IWG Geothermal brings together SET Plan countries to connect in a structured and aligned manner on geothermal energy, for all depth levels and all applications. In addition, it facilitates the dialogue with the European geothermal industry, the research community and relevant countries outside the EU.
Its mission is to coordinate research and innovation efforts and support the transition to a resilient and climate-neutral Europe which utilises geothermal energy to its full potential.
The Geothermal IWG identifies the pressing issues for the development of Europe’s geothermal energy market aligning research and innovation (R&I) activities of its respective member states.
Targets and objectives
In the SET Plan structure and governance as established in November 2025, an IWG describes its collaboration in a number of documents. A Mandate, a Thematic Vision, a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and a Common Implementation and Investment Plan (CIIP). These documents define the aims and scope of the IWG collaboration.
The Thematic Vision of IWG Geothermal foresees a significant acceleration by 2030 already: envisaging three times more heating and cooling supplied by geothermal; two times more electricity production; step up the uptake of geothermal storage and co-production of geothermal minerals, elements or compounds in at three regions.
For the 2030–2040 further market growth is envisioned. In 2040, geothermal will supply 30% of Europe’s space heating, 5% of industrial heat, and 20% of agricultural heating. Geothermal storage will supply 10% of space heating and geothermal will account for 10% of the total electricity generation.
Finally, the Thematic Vision foresees that 10 European regions will co-produce geothermal minerals, elements or compounds. The subsequent decade 2040–will see 5% expansion in all applications, and five more regions with co-production.
IWG members
The Geothermal IWG is co-chaired by the Netherlands with support from Germany and includes 14 other countries (status summer 2026).
Participating SET Plan countries & country observers (in alphabetical order):
| Country | Membership |
| Bulgaria | Temporary observer |
| France | Temporary observer |
| Germany | Co-chair |
| Germany | Active member alternate |
| Hungary | Active member |
| Iceland | Active member |
| Ireland | Active member |
| Ireland | Temporary observer |
| Italy | Active member |
| Netherlands | Co-chair |
| Netherlands | Active member |
| Norway | Active member |
| Malta | Temporary observer |
| Poland | Temporary observer |
| Romania | Active member |
| Slovakia | Temporary observer |
| Slovenia | Temporary observer |
| Spain | Active member |
| Sweden | Active member |
| Switzerland | Temporary observer |
Documents
More IWG publications are available on the geothermal IWG website.
Contacts
- IWG Chair: Gerdi Breembroek, gerdi [dot] breembroek
rvo [dot] nl (gerdi[dot]breembroek[at]rvo[dot]nl) - IWG Co-chair: Stephan Schreiber, s [dot] schreiberptj [dot] de (s[dot]schreiber[at]ptj[dot]de)
- IWG Co-chair: David Bruhn, d [dot] f [dot] bruhntudelft [dot] nl (d[dot]f[dot]bruhn[at]tudelft[dot]nl)
- IWG Co-chair: Luca Xodo, luca [dot] xodosteam-group [dot] net (luca[dot]xodo[at]steam-group[dot]net)
- IWG Secretariat: infogeothermal-iwg [dot] eu (info[at]geothermal-iwg[dot]eu)