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
EGEC, together with twelve other renewable energy associations, believe that, in order to maintain global leadership in renewables, "Europe should now make a firm and resolute commitment to a flourishing and vibrant domestic renewable energy market. This is why we call on the European Commission to model an appropriate range of policy scenarios this year, which should include renewable energy targets of at least 30%, 35% and 40% by the year 2030."
You can download our full position here
For more information, read the EGEC priorities for a revised Renewable Energy Directive here and for the heating and cooling sector here.
EGEC responded to the public consultation on Streamlining of planning and reporting obligations as part of the Energy Union Governance. EGEC welcomes the development of a new Energy Union governance system based on integrated national plans and reports adressing the different streams of the EU energy and climate policy. Such development paves the way to a more holistic approach and may facilitate the exploitation of the many synergies between the various dimension of the Energy Union.
For more information about our position, please read the executive summary of the EGEC response.
You can also view the full response to the consultation here.
As 150 countries sign the Paris agreement today in New York, a collation of renewable energy associations, businesses, cities, trade unions, and civil society groups join together to urge European leaders to take action on climate change, ensuring the agreements made at the COP21 are in harmony with EU climate targets.
| We represent businesses, trade unions, local authorities and civil society organisations supporting a wide range of social and environmental outcomes. We have come together in an unprecedented grouping, to recognise that the Agreement struck in Paris in December 2015 is a turning point that requires the world to step up and raise its ambition to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees, as well as to pursue efforts towards 1.5 degrees. |  |
| European leadership helped deliver the Paris Agreement. As you set off to New York to Sign this agreement, we ask you to continue to show leadership by delivering ratification of the Paris agreement as soon as possible, and by working with the other countries to support their delivery of the agreement’s goals and obligations, thereby effecting enhanced climate diplomacy Download the full statement (PDF) | |
The knowRES project has released two reports assessing the current status of employment in the Geothermal sector and forecasting future trends.
The Geothermal Sector report found that:
| This week more than fifty experts from all over Europe met in Brussels to begin the process of creating a European Technology and Innovation platform for deep geothermal. During the meeting, the draft terms of reference were discussed and the members of the provisional steering committee were selected. They will now work to finalise these terms of reference. | |
| The chair is Ruggero Bertani (ENEL GP) The Vice Chairs are Marco Baresi (Turboden) and Jan Diederick VanWees (TNO) |  |
Following the COP 21 Paris Agreement, more than seventy companies and industry associations are urging the EU to strengthen its strategy towards a low-carbon economy.
In view of the forthcoming discussions between Member States over the implication of the new international treaty for the EU, EGEC has joined the call from the business community asking for more ambitious EU binding targets and measures for both energy efficiency and renewable energy.
“The re-industrialisation of the EU economy based on competitive low-carbon business models, sustainable investments and innovation, new skills and more green local jobs, and increased productivity are opportunities to be seized”, states the letter co-signed by EGEC.
Exergy was announced today as the winner of the European Geothermal Innovation Award 2016 during the opening session of GeoTHERM exhibition and Congress in Offenbourg, Germany. The award was given for the 2-pressure-level cycle on a single-disk turbine demonstrated in Denizli Tosunlar geothermal plant, Turkey.
The first European Geothermal Innovation Award was presented to Jörg Baumgärtner (Bestec) by Burkhard Sanner (EGEC) at GeoTHERM.
