The Support Unit for the Deep Geothermal Implementation Working Group (SU-DG-IWG or the Project) has now concluded its two Reporting Periods and with that its full duration. The project has been eventful and in the opinion of the authors of this report, a time of significant progress in the broad mobilisation of the geothermal community towards its goal of implementing the action in the Implementation Plan (IP)
With the support of the project the Deep Geothermal IWG actively took part in transnational cooperation in Europe with the aim of maintaining Europe’s competitiveness in geothermal, both within power generation as well as heating and cooling. The clearest example of this is the participation in the CETP.
Through the work within the SU-DG-IWG (reports, deliverables, and meetings), EGEC has highlighted the challenges of the industry and the ways for better representation of geothermal.
The SU-DG-IWG in cooperation with GEOTHERMICA, held a Round Table in November 2019, where the objective was to inform and coordinate the activities of various European and international organisations aimed at accelerating the uptake of geothermal energy in Europe. This activity brought together key European stakeholders that comprise the three pillars.
Efforts were made to be inclusive and inviting to all interested partners in the geothermal sector of Europe. All European GEOTHERMICA counties are now represented in the DG-IWG, and strong efforts were made to include non GEOTHEMICA countries as well. Furthermore, a strong focus was put on including non-EERA members and non-EGEC members in all consultation and engagements.
Efforts of “map and match” were made with project duration, including a deliverable on this issue. In the second reporting period, the focus was on opportunities to strengthen broader international collaboration on heating and cooling. Through IWG contacts, GEOTHERMICA teamed up with JPP Smart Energy Systems for a joint Call on heating and cooling. This call will result in an expected number of 15 funded projects with a supporting budget amounting to almost 33M€. Contract negotiations are in final stages at the time of reporting.
The DG-IWG of the SET plan proposed an update of the IP. A draft revision of the IP was created, that the Deep Geothermal Implementation Working Group approved in May 2020. The previous iteration of this document was dated January 2018. An ad hoc committee appointed by the DG-IWG that was tasked with the revision of the IP concluded that little changes were needed to make the document relevant for the years to come. In particular, the updated Deep Geothermal Implementation Working Plan puts the R&I Activities in a more logical order, starting from the user perspective back towards exploration which is of course underlying any use of deep geothermal energy. To increase the transparency and potential of the public and stakeholders to participate in the 2020 revision, a special Consultation Portal was set up for inputs from the geothermal community. The 2020 version of the Implementation
In the autumn of 2021, the IWG again embarked on a revision of the Implementation Plan The 2nd revision of the Geothermal Implementation Plan is still ongoing.
