Press Release | Geothermal Horizons: from cities to regions is now live!

ETIP-Geothermal is excited to announce the launch of its new vision for geothermal energy for 2030 and 2050, titled “Geothermal Horizons: From Cities to Regions.” This visionary roadmap outlines the potential of geothermal energy to play a vital role in the energy transition across Europe, contributing significantly to achieving the EU’s climate-neutral milestone by 2050.

Geothermal energy stands as a key form of renewable energy, offering a wide range of applications, including heating and cooling, electricity generation, hot water provision, and thermal underground storage for both seasonal periods.

This vision is a forward-looking initiative that seeks to serve as the cornerstone in the EU’s journey towards climate neutrality by 2050. By leveraging the extensive geothermal resources available across Europe, cities like Paris (France), Munich (Germany), and Szeged (Hungary), as well as regions like Tuscany (Italy), showcase the effectiveness of geothermal energy in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and supporting Europe local economic growth.

Geothermal Contributions to 2040

• Geothermal heat with district heating and cooling, supply to industry, agriculture and buildings with collective and individual heat pumps, covers more than 30% of Europe’s demand for heating and cooling.
• Geothermal electricity covers more than 10% of the power consumption in Europe. This saves costs for the decarbonisation of the power sector.
• Underground thermal storage (UTES) supports energy system integration. UTES can contribute to more than 10% of Europe’s heating and cooling consumption.
• Sustainable extraction of minerals and critical raw materials (CRM) from geothermal are contributing to EU targets of at least 10% of the EU’s annual consumption for extraction.

This vision also presents the transformative concept of the geothermal industrial valleys, and how they can reshape Europe’s economic landscapes. These systems aim to support the transition of regions from conventional energy sources to sustainable, self-reliant hubs for geothermal renewable energy to supply local energy generation, distribution, and consumption.

The “Geothermal Horizons: From Cities to Regions” vision represents a pivotal opportunity to advance geothermal technologies and innovations in Europe. It provides a comprehensive framework to address the climate transition, ensure energy security, and achieve these goals in a cost-effective manner.

Download the Vision for Geothermal