European Council calls on measures for the faster deployment of geothermal
European Commission (source: Sébastien Bertrand / flickr, creative commons)
Carlo Cariaga
16 Dec 2024
The European Council calls for faster deployment of geothermal with proposed measures to facilitate permitting and access for financing for Member States.
The European Council of the European Union has approved conclusions that highlight the potential of geothermal as a renewable energy source for EU Member States. In the same statement, the Council calls for the faster deployment of geothermal energy with a number of proposals addressed to Member States and the European Commission:
- The Council calls for the European Commission to draw up a comprehensive European geothermal action plan, with particular focus on the decarbonization of heating and cooling, with concrete measures to accelerate the deployment of clean energy.
- The Council calls on the member states to streamline their rules for faster permitting of geothermal projects. Proposed actions include facilitating projects that aim to convert underground fossil facilities for geothermal, as well as training programmes to develop a skilled workforce for the geothermal industry.
- The Council calls on the member states to provide easier access to financial schemes for geothermal projects and elaborate incentives to address the high upfront costs and risks of geothermal development, as well as to promote the construction of supporting infrastructure such as district heating networks.
- The Council foresees the formation of a European Geothermal Alliance, set up by the Commission, to bring together policymakers, industry representatives, and investors to address bottlenecks and propose actions for greater deployment of geothermal energy.
“Geothermal energy is a long-lasting and always available renewable source, since it does not depend on weather events and can provide around-the-clock electricity generation and heat production. Today’s conclusions aim to boost this sustainable energy source, which can help us ensure a smooth transition to a carbon-free Europe, strengthen our competitiveness, and secure our energy sovereignty,” said Csaba Lantos, Hungarian Ministry of Energy.
The Hungarian Presidency of the European Council had strongly called for support for the geothermal industry, making it one of the major agendas for their term and ultimately initiating the proposal to all Member States.
The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) responded with a message of support for the Council conclusions, describing it as an important step forward for the growth of the geothermal industry in the EU. The conclusions recognise the key role geothermal must play to decarbonise buildings and industry.
“EGEC warmly welcomes the Council Conclusions agreed upon by Europe’s Energy Ministers today. Now, it is up to the European Commission to deliver,” said Philippe Dumas, Secretary General of EGEC.
“The Geothermal Action Plan must facilitate investments in local jobs, growth, and reducing energy costs for families, offices, and industries,” added Sanjeev Kumar, EGEC Head of Policy.
Source: European Council and EGEC
