Europe

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 12 September, 2025

The French Development Agency (AFD) has signed a cooperation pact with Kenya to accelerate the development of geothermal energy across the East Africa region.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 01 September, 2025

Integrated oil and gas company MOL is conducting geothermal exploration and has carried out 3D seismic surveys around the Danube Refinery in Hungary to assess the potential for geothermal utilisation.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 28 August, 2025

Technology and engineering solutions supplier, Odfjell Technology, has partnered with Vercana, Vulcan Group’s drilling subsidiary, for major geothermal project in Germany.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 28 August, 2025

Germany’s Daldrup & Söhne AG has been awarded a contract to drill a pair of deep geothermal wells near Munich, in the south of the country.

In a statement, the company reported that the contract, worth €16.8mn (US$19.6mn), was awarded by Amperland Thermalwärme GmbH (ATW), a subsidiary of the joint municipal waste management company, based in Olching, northwest of Munich.

The drilling technology and geothermal energy specialist will now sink deflected deep geothermal wells with drilling lengths of around 2,430m and 3,300m on the site of the Geiselbullach cogeneration plant.

Work on the construction of the site is scheduled to begin in September this year, with actual drilling expected to be carried out from December 2025 to May 2026.

“It is impressive to see the determination with which the cities and municipalities around Munich are pushing ahead with the heat transition for their citizens,” said Andreas Tönies, CEO of Daldrup & Söhne AG.

ATW has received a grant of €8.8mn (US$10.3mn) for the financial implementation of the geothermal project, with the funds originating from the federal government’s Effective Heating Networks (BEW) programme.

The Daldrup & Söhne AG statement added that the project will enable the further expansion of the district heating network of the Olching municipal utility company and, for the first time in Germany, combine thermal waste utilisation with geothermal energy to expand the district heating supply in the region in a climate-neutral manner.

“This is a significant step for regional energy supply with fuel-independent heat,” added Tönies.

“The geological layers in the molass basin are now very well known and suitable for using deep thermal water to extract heat in a cycle system for local and district heating networks. We are already in talks with other potential municipal and private sector clients.”

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 21 August, 2025

Earlier this month, 3t, an organisation specialising in safety-critical training for hazardous industries, announced a new collaboration with Aberdeen-based Robert Gordon University (RGU) to establish a Geothermal Simulation and Modelling Platform.

• Region: Europe
• Date: 20 August, 2025

Geothermal energy is becoming increasingly important for Bulgaria’s energy future.

Expanding the use of geothermal power can reduce and potentially replace fossil fuels, especially when combined with other renewable sources. This shift will help Bulgaria build a modern, sustainable economy while creating jobs and developing skills that could position the country as a European leader in renewable technologies. It also supports Bulgaria’s long-term goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Bulgarian government has set an ambitious target to develop 400 MW of geothermal energy capacity by 2026, reflecting geothermal energy’s vital role in the nation’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Unlike other renewables, geothermal energy provides reliable, clean, and affordable base-load power without needing costly battery storage. Currently, over 80% of Bulgaria’s base-load power comes from fossil fuels and nuclear energy, so geothermal offers a valuable alternative that can reduce this dependency.

Geothermal energy comes from heat stored inside the Earth. Deep geothermal heat originates from radioactive decay and friction inside the Earth, causing underground temperatures to rise with depth, reaching thousands of degrees near the core. When hot rocks underground contain water, wells can bring that heat to the surface for various uses. Shallow geothermal heat, on the other hand, comes from the sun and is stored near the surface, maintaining a constant 10-15°C temperature just below ground.

In Bulgaria, underground temperatures increase by about 25°C to over 40°C per kilometre, meaning parts of the country could have geothermal sources hotter than 150°C at depths of 4,000 to 6,000 metres. These temperatures make it possible to use geothermal energy for heating greenhouses, fisheries, spas, district heating, industrial processes, and even electricity generation. Shallow geothermal heat, typically below 25°C, can be harnessed with geothermal heat pumps for efficient heating and cooling of buildings, saving up to 80% on energy costs compared to traditional systems.

Bulgaria’s geothermal potential varies across two main geological regions divided by the Stara Planina Mountains. The northern region has a large sedimentary basin with proven medium to high temperature resources, thanks to historic oil and gas exploration. The southern region consists of smaller basins and mountains, with geothermal potential suggested by numerous thermal springs, although deeper resources remain less explored.

Despite Bulgaria’s rich geothermal resources, development has been slow, mainly due to regulatory challenges. Over the past 30 years, geothermal use has grown by only 16%, and there are currently no geothermal power plants. Updating regulations to align with international best practices is key to attracting investment and unlocking Bulgaria’s geothermal potential quickly.

The Bulgarian Association Geothermal Energy is working to unite government, industry, and experts to support geothermal development. The government’s roadmap includes policy reforms, scientific studies, and pilot projects to demonstrate economic viability and encourage investment. Transitioning expertise from the oil and gas sector to geothermal development will also create jobs and new skills.

The path to a sustainable energy future in Bulgaria depends on collaboration and commitment to making geothermal energy an everyday reality. As the Bulgarian Association Geothermal Energy notes, “The journey will require significant manpower and specialist expertise,” but it offers a clear opportunity to build a cleaner, greener economy.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 15th August 2025

A new digital, interactive map documenting Germany’s geothermal energy potential, and possible locations, has been released.

The resource was developed through the WärmeGut research project under the direction of the LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) in Hanover, with the Georg-August-University Göttingen (UGOE) and the company, geoENERGIE Konzept GmbH from Freiberg, in collaboration with all 16 geological state services.

It is now freely available in the Geothermal Information System GeotIS.

The project’s manager, Prof. Dr. Inga Moeck, hailed it as a “historic milestone” for geothermal research in Germany.

"Together with the project partners and the state geological services, we have succeeded in developing a digital map that meets both the individual requirements of the respective federal states and an easy-to-understand standardisation of the complex data situation.”

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) provided funding the project.

The map is based on a traffic light system with ‘green’ showing regions where geothermal probes can be used without restriction, yellow indicating limited usage opportunities, and red highlighting areas that are not eligible for use.

This simple system is intended to offer both specialist companies and private homeowners and municipalities a quick entry into geothermal energy and an uncomplicated orientation as to whether geothermal use is possible by means of probes or not.

The researchers expect the interactive map to grow interest in geothermal across the country and to help municipalities, cities and even households understand potential use cases and opportunties.

“Without geothermal energy, the [energy] transition cannot succeed,” said Moeck.

“We expect that this map will draw attention to geothermal energy as a measure in municipal heating planning and give a decisive boost to both the energy transition and scientific geothermal research.”

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 12 August, 2025

The British Geological Survey has launched the UK Geothermal Platform which provides both national and local-scale information about geothermal potential across the country.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 24th July 2025

The German Geothermal Association (BVG) has broadly welcomed updated plans put forward by Berlin to advance geothermal energy adoption in the country.

It called the new Geothermal Acceleration Act (GeoBG) a “milestone for geothermal energy in Germany” but also proposed various amendments and additions.

The proposals put forward by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy aim to introduce new laws that could simplify and accelerate geothermal projects in Germany and heighten investor security.

With GeoBG, Germany is finally set to create an independent ‘master law’ for geothermal energy, the Association noted in a statement.

It also praised the government for fast-tracking its geothermal plans ahead of the summer recess.

“The fact that the government is taking this issue into account by putting the law on the agenda before the summer break is an important commitment to the expansion of geothermal energy,” it added.

BVG Managing Director Gregor Dilger called the new rules of “paramount importance” in order to expand the role of geothermal energy in the country.

He also called for further measures to achieve equality for geothermal with other forms of renewable energy, such as wind energy.

"Geothermal energy can make a central contribution to climate protection, long-term stable energy prices and security of supply,” said Dilger.

“Geothermal energy is available anywhere and at any time," he added.

"No fuels have to be imported for their use and their supply routes have to be secured, and technologically, we in Germany have all the skills in our own hands.”

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 23 July, 2025

Arverne Group has received a €396,585 grant from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, with support from the European Social Fund, to enhance geothermal drilling training.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 22 July, 2025

Exergy International, a specialist in advanced geothermal binary power plants, has secured a €24.5 million contract from EDA Renováveis (EDAR) for the upgrade of the Ribeira Grande geothermal plant located on the island of São Miguel in the Azores. 

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 11th July 2025

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) expects to see “a significant upturn” in business activity linked to geothermal energy projects throughout Europe, according to new findings in its latest market report.

The new edition of EGEC’s annual Geothermal Market Report said a combined 40MW of new capacity had come on stream during 2024. It identified three new geothermal power plants — one in Austria and two in Turkey — had come on stream, adding a combined 40 MW of baseload capacity.

By the end of 2024, a total of 147 geothermal electricity plants were in operation across Europe, and plans for around 50 additional geothermal power plants are in various stages of development.

But EGEC expects to see an “exponential increase” in the number of wells to be drilled during 2025. This is due to the high number of geothermal energy projects that are currently in development across Europe – including around 50 power plants and more than 500 district heating and cooling (DHC) projects – as well as continued growth in the number of exploration campaigns being launched.

“The last few years have not been easy for the geothermal sector, with unstable energy prices and high interest rates deterring investors,” said Miklos Antics, EGEC’s President. “But now we are starting to see signs of revival, notably in terms of new drilling activities linked to geothermal energy projects, including new power plants as well as heating and cooling plants.”

According to the report, the last two years have seen steady growth in the number and extent of exploration activities being undertaken in Europe. In 2024, a record of more than 17 surveys were conducted, compared to only 10 in 2023. At least 10 3D seismic campaigns were started in the first half of 2025, with multiple surveys announced for later in the year to continue this growth.

The geothermal DHC sector also experienced steady growth, it noted, with 10 new systems launched — three in Poland, two in the UK, and one each in France, Greece, Romania, Spain, and the Netherlands. This brought the total number of operational GeoDHC systems in Europe to 412, with plans for around 500 additional projects under development.

However, geothermal heat pumps (HP) saw a significant drop in sales in 2024 across all European countries except Switzerland, attributed to a lack of favourable regulations and policies.

However, EGEC said that it is hopeful the upcoming European Geothermal Action Plan will contribute to creating more favourable conditions for the growth of the geothermal HP market. “We are optimistic that geothermal energy will finally be recognised as a cornerstone of a sustainable, resilient and carbon-neutral energy future for Europe,” added Antics.

EGEC’s Secretary-General, Philippe Dumas, highlighted the significance of the European Geothermal Action Plan, which is due to be launched in 2026.

“We are seeing positive signs of growth in terms of exploration activities, and also in the numbers of new geothermal energy projects that are currently in development across Europe,” he said.

“However, the rate of growth will also depend on having a favourable financial, regulatory and policy framework that encourages investments in geothermal projects. Therefore, the highly anticipated European Geothermal Action Plan…will have a vital role to play, notably in terms of ensuring simpler permitting procedures for new projects.”