Strengthening the coordination of geothermal energy initiatives
The Earth continuously generates heat or geothermal energy. Harnessing this sustainable distributed energy supply that can be both 'extracted' and used locally will yield a climate-neutral and independent energy supply for Europe. The EU-funded SU-DG-IWG project is providing instrumental support to the Geothermal Implementation Working Group (IWG) in the context of Europe’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan).
Mobilised community collaboration drives progress
The Geothermal IWG is a strategic platform bringing together EU Member States, researchers and the geothermal industry, coordinating their efforts to accelerate geothermal uptake. The SU-DG-IWG provided administrative assistance, synergies and strategy support, and information and data to support decision-making and implementation. However, perhaps the most exciting project outcomes – and those surpassing the original goals – were achieved in the mobilisation of the geothermal community. “The fact that geothermal is still a niche in many European countries makes knowledge sharing and nurturing of nascent geothermal projects essential. One of the hallmarks of geothermal development in Europe is how much it has been driven by voluntary partnerships and collaboration. There are now many flourishing collaborations, with GEOTHERMICA and the TRI IV of the European Clean Energy Transition Partnership among the most prominent,” explains Steinar Örn Jónsson, SU-DG-IWG project coordinator.
Compelling messaging raises geothermal’s profile
Despite its clear capability for heating and cooling, geothermal has traditionally been associated with electricity production. Further, the lines between ‘deep’ and ‘shallow’ geothermal have become increasingly blurred by recent technological advances, resulting in legislative issues in many European countries. The SU-DG-IWG has been instrumental in increasing the clarity of messaging to foster public and private support. Since October 2021, the Deep Geothermal IWG has been rebranded as the Geothermal IWG, endorsed by the SET Plan Secretariat. Further, the Geothermal IWG has formally adopted the designation of four key geothermal areas: heating and cooling, power production, thermal storage and geothermal minerals, which has helped structure the research domain and identify priorities within the SET Plan. “We have succeeded, in close collaboration with our partners in GEOTHERMICA, in putting geothermal on the map in Europe. The overall awareness of geothermal and its potential has grown immensely in the past few years. The SU-DG-IWG and the Geothermal IWG have, without a doubt, been part of that transformation,” Jónsson concludes.
Keywords
SU-DG-IWG, geothermal, energy, Geothermal IWG, climate-neutral, heating and cooling, electricity, thermal storage, European Clean Energy Transition Partnership, Geothermal Implementation Working Group, GEOTHERMICA, SET Plan
