Skip to content
Adopted text

Geothermal energy

TA-9-2024-0049 · P9_TA(2024)0049 · PE752.863

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution on geothermal energy sets out its potential and asks the Commission to present an EU geothermal strategy with guidance for Member States and local administrations. It calls for a comprehensive assessment of shallow, medium, deep and ultra-deep geothermal potential across all 27 Member States, and for a 'geothermal alliance' of Member States, industry, scientists and civil society. It asks Member States to modernise and build district heating and cooling networks using geothermal energy, to improve access to subsurface data, and to streamline and digitalise permitting, including one-stop shops. It calls for financial de-risking, more research and development funding, skilling and reskilling of workers, and equal regulatory treatment of geothermal with wind and solar.

Key points

  1. Notes that technology development has broadened the area suitable for cost-efficient geothermal projects, and stresses the potential of shallow and deep geothermal resources available in all Member States.
  2. Regrets that geothermal's potential was not exploited sooner and that its uptake is largely driven by the energy crisis; warns that subsidised gas, limited public awareness and high upfront investment have hampered development.
  3. Underlines geothermal's contribution to climate targets, energy security, industrial competitiveness and affordable heat and electricity, and notes that extracting raw materials such as lithium from geothermal brines can secure local supply.
  4. Stresses the greatest potential lies in district heating and cooling and shallow geothermal networks, and notes geothermal heat's potential for industrial processes below 200 degrees and for food production.
  5. Calls on the Commission to present an EU geothermal strategy with concrete guidance to Member States and local administrations, based on an assessment of potential across all 27 Member States and addressing obstacles including cross-border issues.
  6. Calls on the Commission to establish a 'geothermal alliance' including Member States, industry, the scientific community and civil society, and to explore geothermal's contribution to clean hydrogen production under REPowerEU.
  7. Calls on the Commission and Member States to create incentives for modernising and building heating and cooling networks, to favour 4th and 5th generation systems, and to support conversion of existing district heating to geothermal, including through the Modernisation, Just Transition and Cohesion Funds.
  8. Urges Member States and the Commission to collect, systematise and publicly release geological and subsurface data, and to explore harmonising national rules and a centralised EU portal.
  9. Calls on Member States to explore financial de-risking solutions such as grants, convertible loans, state-backed guarantees, exploration insurance and hedging, and notes an EU financial risk mitigation scheme would help least mature markets.
  10. Calls on Member States to review mining laws, develop dedicated geothermal permitting rules, create streamlined digitalised permitting and one-stop shops, and asks the Commission for guidelines and recommendations on permitting and local heating plans.
  11. Regrets that life-cycle analysis applies to geothermal but not other renewables, and calls on the Commission to review geothermal's classification in the taxonomy to put it on equal footing with wind and solar.
  12. Urges Member States to step up skilling and reskilling for geothermal, ensure certification schemes for installers, and strengthen university degrees; calls for more research and development funding, including for underground pumped hydroelectric and thermal storage.

Who is affected

  • Member States, which are asked to review mining laws, streamline permitting, collect and share subsurface data, and support workforce training.
  • The Commission, which is asked to present an EU geothermal strategy, establish a geothermal alliance, and issue guidance on permitting and heating plans.
  • Local and regional authorities, which are asked to prepare heating and cooling plans and coordinate with energy companies on networks.
  • The geothermal industry and project developers, for whom easier data access, de-risking and permitting are sought.
  • Workers and local communities in transition areas, including former mining and hydrocarbon regions, for whom reskilling and geothermal jobs are proposed.

Figures and deadlines

  • More than 75 % of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions come from energy production and use.
  • More than half of final energy consumption in the residential sector for space heating is covered by fossil fuels.
  • Industry estimates geothermal can supply more than 75 % of heating and cooling consumed in Europe and over 15 % of its electrical power by 2040.
  • 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 contributes up to 35 % of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions related to energy use.
  • The EU Solar Strategy states the share of energy demand covered by solar heat and geothermal must increase at least threefold by 2030.
  • 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 so far been supported by the Innovation Fund.

Legal basis: Article 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.