Geothermal Technologies in Urban Settings. A Contribution to the Heating Transition and Climate Protection

Geothermal energy can make a significant contribution to defossilising heat generation in Germany, where around half of all primary energy consumption is accounted for by the heating sector and some two thirds of this heat is still generated using fossil fuels. Germany’s geological structures have great potential for the use of deep hydrothermal geothermal energy in particular. As a domestic energy source, geothermal energy can be easily and efficiently integrated into heating networks, which already exist in densely populated urban areas and will become increasingly important as the heating transition progresses. Geothermal energy is a climate-friendly heat source that is independent of the seasons and weather and expands the portfolio of climate-friendly heat generation. Harnessing geothermal technologies also offers the potential for underground storage of both heat and cold in suitable reservoirs, not only in the short term but also seasonally.

This STUDY takes a look at geothermal energy for heat supply in urban areas, the associated requirements and opportunities, as well as the challenges and reservations among the public. The various options for use and the underground as an energy source, together with prior experience in the implementation of geothermal projects, provide the foundation for developing further possible applications for geothermal energy in Germany and for exploiting its potential for defossilising the heat supply. National and international examples of the use of geothermal technologies in urban settings illustrate this considerable potential. Finally, a number of political areas of action that are essential to geothermal energy’s contribution to the energy transition are outlined.