Geothermal energy: Great potential for the economy and the environment
In order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2045, the state government in Berlin wants to investigate the possibilities of geothermal energy in the coming years. A study confirms that heat generation from the earth's crust has great potential - but also a high investment requirement. According to the study, which was published by Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) on Monday, investments of 4.2 billion euros would be required to cover around 20 percent of Berlin's heating requirements using geothermal energy.
According to the study, the majority of the costs could come from private investors. Just under a fifth of the sum would have to come from the state, according to the paper, which was previously reported on by the "Tagesspiegel". The expansion of geothermal energy in the scenario examined would create around 3200 permanent jobs in the capital region and up to 9600 temporary jobs during the exploration and expansion phases.
For the state's budget, successful implementation over a period of three years would mean additional public revenue totaling around 670 million euros. The most important thing, however, is that the successful use of deep geothermal energy could make up to 20 percent of Berlin's total heat energy CO2-neutral.
The Berlin Senate focused more strongly on the topic of geothermal energy this summer. Three locations for test drilling had already been identified at the time: the Urban Tech Republic and the Schumacher Quarter on the site of the former Tegel Airport, the Neukölln district heating plant and the Berlin-Buch campus.
According to the Senate Department for Transport, Environment and Climate Protection, over 90 percent of heat in Berlin is currently still produced using fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. Geothermal energy makes use of the fact that heat energy is stored in the earth's crust, which can be used for heating, among other things.
According to the IBB, the goal of climate neutrality by 2045 cannot be achieved with the measures implemented by the Senate to date.
Utilizing geothermal energy for heat generation could significantly reduce Berlin's reliance on fossil fuels for living, as it constitutes up to 20% of the city's total heat energy with a CO2-neutral footprint. The implementation of deep geothermal energy, as suggested by the study, could also generate approximately 670 million euros in additional public revenue over three years.
Source: www.dpa.com
