On geothermal energy
A-9-2023-0432
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Zdzisław Krasnodębski
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Parliament's resolution on geothermal energy sets out its potential and calls for an EU geothermal strategy, better data, funding, permitting and skills.¶¶¶ It asks the Commission to assess geothermal potential across all 27 Member States and to address obstacles, including cross-border issues.¶ It calls for modernising district heating and cooling with geothermal, and for public inventories of depleted oil and gas wells and mines that could be repurposed.¶¶ It seeks equal regulatory treatment for geothermal with wind and solar, streamlined permitting, and support for research, skills and public acceptance.¶¶¶
Committee position. The committee proposes a resolution calling for an EU geothermal strategy, better data, funding, permitting and skills, and for equal regulatory treatment of geothermal with other renewables.¶¶¶
Key points
- Notes that technology advances have broadened cost-efficient geothermal projects, with shallow resources in all Member States and deep resources for heat and power.¶¶
- Says geothermal has low environmental impact, limited land use, stable costs and long lifespans, but its potential has been underexploited and hampered by subsidised gas and high upfront costs.¶¶¶
- Highlights geothermal's contribution to climate targets, energy security, industry competitiveness, consumer empowerment, and extraction of critical raw materials such as lithium from brines.¶¶
- Stresses geothermal's role in district heating and cooling, industrial processes below 200 degrees, food production, energy storage and grid balancing.¶¶¶
- Calls on the Commission to present an EU geothermal strategy with guidance for Member States, based on an assessment of shallow, medium, deep and ultra-deep potential across all 27 Member States.¶¶
- Asks the Commission to establish a 'geothermal alliance' and to explore geothermal's contribution to clean hydrogen production under REPowerEU.¶¶
- Calls for modernised and new district heating and cooling networks using geothermal, with incentives, guidelines for municipal heating plans, and use of Modernisation, Just Transition and Cohesion Funds.¶¶
- Urges Member States and the Commission to collect and publish subsurface and geological data, harmonise access rules, and create an EU-wide atlas of geothermal resources.¶¶¶
- Calls on Member States to prepare public inventories of depleted oil and gas wells and mines for geothermal repurposing, and to prioritise studies of their condition.¶
- Asks Member States to explore financial de-risking solutions such as grants, convertible loans, guarantees and insurance, and the Commission to dedicate existing funds to geothermal exploration, development and worker reskilling.¶¶
- Calls for streamlined, digitalised permitting with one-stop shops, review of mining laws, guidance for permitting agencies, and equal regulatory status for geothermal with other renewables.¶¶¶
- Urges Member States to address workforce shortages through skilling, certification schemes, updated university degrees, and reskilling of workers from fossil fuel industries in transition areas.¶¶¶
Who is affected
- Member States: asked to review mining laws, streamline permitting, collect and share subsurface data, and support skills and funding.¶¶¶
- The Commission: asked to present an EU geothermal strategy, establish a geothermal alliance, and issue guidance.¶¶¶
- Geothermal industry and project developers: affected by calls for de-risking, data access, permitting and public acceptance measures.¶¶¶
- Local and regional authorities: asked to plan district heating and cooling networks and engage with communities.¶¶¶
- Workers and educational establishments: targeted by calls for skilling, reskilling and updated geothermal degrees.¶¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- more than 75 % of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions come from energy production and use¶
- more than a half of final energy consumption in the residential sector for space heating is covered by fossil fuels
- geothermal energy can supply more than 75 % of heating and cooling and over 15 % of electrical power by 2040, per industry estimates¶
- geothermal heat for industrial processes below 200 degrees represents up to half of industrial heat production in Europe¶
- heating and cooling accounts for almost half of the EU's overall final energy consumption and up to 35 % of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions¶
- 151 businesses and industries called on the Commission in 2022 to prepare a European strategy for geothermal energy¶
- only two projects on geothermal energy have been supported so far by the Innovation Fund¶
- over 141,300 new geothermal heat pump systems were installed in the EU in 2022¶
Legal basis: Article 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶