Valencia is seeking to champion the use of geothermal energy in popular tourist attractions, with a landmark project beneath the Museu de les Ciencies, a well-known science destination in the southern Spanish city.
It has launched a landmark project with the deployment of a large-scale geothermal plant under the iconic museum, within the architectural complex of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies.
The commissioning of the installation is “imminent”, a statement published on openPR noted, marking what it called “a transformative milestone in the sustainable HVAC decarbonisation of major cultural infrastructure."
The geothermal project is led by Grupo Itecon, through its subsidiary DCL Geoenergia, and drawing on its proprietary DCL GEOENERGIA technology.
According to the statement, the development positions the Museu de les Ciencies as the largest cultural building in Europe to utilise geothermal energy powered by DCL GEOENERGIA technology.
With an installed thermal capacity of 4,050 kW, the plant will also become the largest geothermal installation in Valencia.
The DCL GEOENERGIA geothermal system, engineered and implemented by Grupo Itecon, is based on a high-efficiency field of 32 vertical geothermal boreholes, interconnected through a closed-loop hydraulic circuit.
The system leverages the stable subsurface temperature to provide efficient heating and cooling through ground-source heat exchange.
During the summer months, excess heat from the building is transferred into the ground, while in winter, thermal energy is extracted from the subsurface to supply heating.
“The result is a combustion-free, zero direct-emission HVAC solution, delivering energy stability, operational resilience and a significant reduction in fossil fuel dependency,” the statement added.
The installation is expected to generate annual energy savings over 1,013,000 kWh, while cutting around 335,000 kg of carbon emissions per year.
“These performance indicators position DCL GEOENERGIA technology as a strategic solution for the real decarbonisation of large public buildings and high-demand infrastructures,” the statement noted.
“The imminent commissioning of this geothermal plant represents not only a technical achievement but also a scalable industrial model applicable to airports, hospitals, commercial complexes, and large urban developments across Europe and beyond.”