Following on from the European Union’s commitments to phase out energy imports from Russia, make energy affordable, boost industrial competitiveness, improve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) insists that the European Commission must present an investment-orientated strategy and action plan to accelerate the deployment of all geothermal energy solutions. EGEC calls on the European Commission to publish a dedicated European Geothermal Strategy and Action Plan in the first quarter of 2026. This echoes requests made by EU Energy Ministers (see the TTE Council Conclusions of 16 December 2024) and also by the European Parliament (Resolution on geothermal energy, adopted on 18 January 2024). Indeed, the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, has already confirmed (on 14 March 2025) that the Commission will present "an action plan on geothermal energy" before the end of March 2026. According to EGEC, the Commission’s proposal must include the following elements: An EU-wide target to reach 250 GW of geothermal capacity by 2040 covering all technologies. This will build on the 44 GW of installed capacity in the EU. A European Geothermal Charter, which codifies the 2040 target and launches the Geothermal Industrial Alliance to manage its delivery. Targeted European financial instruments to leverage private capital. Measures to make permitting processes more efficient and faster, as well as improving access to geological data. Sectoral or tripartite agreements with key energy consumers. Peer-to-peer guidance to help governments develop national and regional roadmaps to remove barriers, accelerate investments and build local supply chains. European instruments to support value chain development in local manufacturing and skilled professionals. The inclusion of geothermal energy as a central pillar of the EU’s Global Gateway and the Global Energy Transition Forum. Improvements to the collection and presentation of market data and statistics to enable better energy modelling. EGEC’s proposals are set out in a new policy document:The European Geothermal Strategy and Action Plan - Making Europe competitive, secure and affordable Watch EGEC's webinar on the launch of its recommendations for the EU Geothermal Strategy and Action Plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxUUaWHfuM8
A note by EGEC President Ruggero Bertani
European islands often face significant challenges when it comes to energy supply and energy costs. Due to geographic location, small economies of scale, and limited or absent interconnection to the mainland or to other islands, many islands are still heavily dependent upon costly imported fossil fuels to generate electricity or to meet their heating and cooling needs. To tackle this issue, the European Commission is now launching the Clean Energy for All Europeans Islands Initiative, which aims to accelerate the clean energy transition on islands, ensuring secure and cheap energy to their citizens, and create local jobs.
Geothermal energy has a large potential for ecological heat generation in Poland. What is required for the optimum development of that essential sector is co-operation and use of the experiences possessed by the global leaders in the field. That purpose has been assigned to the international Project on “Geothermal energy - a basis for low-emission heating, improving living conditions and sustainable development – preliminary studies for selected areas in Poland,” implemented in July 2017.
A week full of important geothermal events is beginning today.
The first day has seen the inauguration of the High Level Conference of the Global Geothermal Alliance in Florence, Italy (11-12 September). The conference, which saw the participation of Ministers from all over the world as well as representative of the private sector, addresses what are the main barriers that have hindered the deployment of geothermal despite its vast potential and how to overcome them. The event is a significant step that signals the importance of geothermal for the development of clean energy.
Leaders and ministers from more than 25 governments will meet in Florence, Italy on 11 September, to accelerate the global adoption of geothermal energy. The Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) meeting represents the largest such ministerial gathering dedicated to geothermal energy development.
Following a public call for expression of interest addressed to geothermal experts operating in Europe and/or Mexico, the GEMex Stakeholders Board has been established and it will officially commence its activities in November 2017.
GeoTHERM has launched a call for papers to be presented at the 2018 edition of its congress, about shallow or deep geothermal energy. Interested speakers can send their abstracts until 8th of September 2017. Detailed information is summarized in the Call for Papers.
Cranfield University, UK, has launched a new Geothermal Engineering MSc, designed to meet the growing demand for specialists capable of ensuring this abundant renewable energy source is turned into a constant and independent supply. The MSc will start at Cranfield University in October 2017.
Over 50 participants completely filled up the Maelbeek room at the Résidence Palace Building, Brussels, to attend the session “Innovation in the Renewable Heating and Cooling sector”, organised by the RHC-ETIP as part of the official programme of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2017 on 21st June. The programme intended to showcase successful stories of innovation in the renewable heating and cooling (RHC) currently in progress.
For an ambitious and coherent 2030 framework for climate and energy policies, binding targets are needed for energy savings, renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This is the successful triangle for an 80%-95% GHG emission reduced Europe by 2050 and be in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
