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
The Global District Energy Climate Awards bring together heating and cooling experts from around the world to recognise District Energy projects, schemes and initiatives demonstrating a high level of energy efficiency and innovation.
If your project is the one bringing successful contribution to sustainable energy it is your time to shine – APPLY by 15 JUNE 2017! Judged by a panel of highly respected professionals, these awards will provide a benchmark of success, bringing pride, peer acknowledgement and lots of other benefits.
Marit Brommer has joined the International Geothermal Association (IGA) as the new Executive Director.
A Dutch national with a decade of experience in the Oil & Gas Industry, Marit Brommer comes with a strong experience in operational offshore drilling at Total, and leading global R&D deployment projects at Shell. Prior to her Industry years she completed her PhD at the TU Delft (Nl) in Reservoir Geology and worked as a consultant at Royal Haskoning in the UK.
Successfully addressing the first call of the Danube Transnational Programme: DARLINGe, a new geothermal project will work to boost the sustainable utilization of the existing, however still largely unexploited, deep geothermal resources in the heating sector in the Southern region of the Pannonian Basin.
The specific objectives of the DARLINGe project are: to increase the use of geothermal energy and help the penetration of energy efficient cascade systems; to establish a market-replicable tool-box (methodology) for sustainable geothermal reservoir management; to advance stakeholder cooperation to foster geothermal developments and to create a strong geothermal value chain.
According to the DARLINGe project team, the project results will contribute to increase the share of geothermal energy in the energy mix and to make its use more efficient and sustainable, therefore reducing the dependence of the Danube Region on imported fossil fuels.
The launch event of the project will take place on April 10 2017, at the Geological and Geophysical Institute of Hungary, 1143 Budapest, Stefánia 14. More details and the draft agenda are available here.
For further information please visit the project website and subscribe to the newsletters: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/darlinge
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the reform of VAT rates in Europe (proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 2006/112/EC). In its response, EGEC stated that the VAT system in the European Union should be aligned to the objectives of the Energy Union and become an effective tool (and not a barrier) to promote investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating & Cooling (RHC-ETIP) is looking forward to welcoming our members and all other stakeholders who are interested in our work at the 2017 edition of its Annual Event taking place on 20th June in Brussels, during the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), at CENELEC, Avenue Marnix 17, Brussels, Belgium.
To meet the EU’s Paris commitments and 2050 climate objectives, the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector is crucial. Yet, in a sector largely dominated by fossil fuels, RES-HC (18.1%) are progressing more slowly than in electricity (28.3%). The 2020-2030 period cannot be a lost decade for the renewable heating and cooling industry and for the whole EU decarbonisation agenda.
The Steering Committee of the Deep Geothermal ETIP for the years 2017-2020 was elected on Thursday 16th February 2017 in Offenburg, Germany, during the General Assembly 2017. The Steering Committee is comprised of (in alphabetical order):
enOware GmbH received the European Geothermal Innovation Award 2017 during the opening session of GeoTHERM exhibition and Congress 2017 in Offenburg, Germany. The award was given for their miniaturised sensor which allows to professionally plan, monitor and measure near-surface geothermal probes.
The five endorsed nominations for this year’s European Geothermal Innovation Award are, in alphabetical order:
The FROnT project is presenting several new tools aimed at supporting consumers to make informed choices on available heating and cooling systems for their households or small enterprises. The tools, available online, will help end-users to assess the competitiveness of renewable energy technologies (biomass, solar thermal, air-source heat pumps, and ground-source heat pumps) against traditional fossil fuels, and to evaluate which renewable solution is a better fit for their needs.
