Pathways to better integrate geothermal energy at its full technological scale in European heating and cooling networks

Abstract

Geothermal energy is a vital option to provide clean heating and cooling. Interlinking geothermal energy with the concept of heating and/or cooling networks offers excellent opportunities to benefit from economies of scale and multiplication when it comes to decarbonising the heating and cooling sector. Still, there are both technological and socio-economic challenges to foster the significant implementation of geothermal energy supplied heating and cooling networks in Europe. We identify key challenges towards better integration of geothermal energy and outline possible solutions for a boosted pan-European market uptake. Geothermal networks can only become a key technology if concepts are available to address both new and existing network infrastructures and the existing building stock.