The Call for Workshops closed on June 15.
We received numerous interesting submissions in response to the call for papers. You can find the program here:
Deep geothermal energy offers great potential in Brandenburg for a climate-friendly, secure and long-term sustainable heat supply. However, for the successful implementation of deep geothermal projects, both a sound understanding of the geological conditions and early, structured planning of the necessary authorisation and licensing procedures are crucial.
The workshop provides an overview of the deep geological conditions required for the utilisation of geothermal resources in Brandenburg and places these within the context of the North German Basin. The focus is on the exploitable horizons relevant to deep geothermal energy, their petrophysical properties and the significance of available geological data for project development.
In addition, the current licensing practice for deep geothermal projects in Brandenburg will be presented. The key legal framework and procedural steps will be explained, in particular the requirements under mining law and the interfaces with issues relating to water law, nature conservation law and planning law. The report is based, amongst other things, on the experience of the State Office for Mining, Geology and Raw Materials (LBGR) as well as publicly available information and guidance notes.
Using typical procedural workflows, the necessary documentation, regulatory requirements and timelines are outlined. The presentation examines key challenges in project implementation, including the availability and quality of geological data, the coordination of various authorisation procedures, the duration of the process, and the importance of early communication and public engagement.
Experience from the licensing process shows that early consultation between project developers and the relevant authorities, structured and complete application documentation, and close cooperation between the specialist authorities involved can make a significant contribution to ensuring that procedures are efficient and transparent. The workshop thus combines geological fundamentals with practical guidance on the successful preparation and implementation of deep geothermal projects in Brandenburg.
Case studies and strategies from the ‘Rhineland Geothermal Real-World Laboratory’.
In this workshop, the Geothermal Reallabor Rhineland shares its experiences from the Rhenish mining area. The focus is on the exploration pathway – from processing existing data and establishing a seismic monitoring network to seismic exploration, modelling and interpretation, and ultimately well planning.
The workshop focuses on the GoEffective project (FKZ 03EE4048), which has been funded since 2023 as part of the 8th Energy Research Programme. The aim of GoEffective is to minimise the geological and technical drilling risks associated with deep geothermal projects through an improved understanding of stresses and, in particular, pore pressure in the subsurface. To this end, a semi-automated toolkit (EFECT) has been developed which uses data from existing boreholes to predict a pore pressure profile at a new drilling site. The workshop will present the theoretical principles for minimising geological and drilling-related problems, the development of a (inter)national pore pressure database, and the EFECT toolkit.
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Local cooling networks offer municipal utilities and local authorities new opportunities for climate-neutral heating and cooling supply. But what experience is already available, and what framework conditions need to be taken into account for implementation?
The workshop presents current developments, regulatory requirements and practical examples from the field of local cooling. The focus will be on experiences from the flagship projects in Bad Nauheim and Soest. The discussion will cover success factors, challenges and key steps from planning through to operation. The aim is to provide municipal utilities, local authorities and planners with concrete guidance for developing their own projects and to promote dialogue between research and practice.
Introduction and framework conditions for cold district heating & geothermal energy (20 mins)
· Current regulations for cold heating networks
· Current regulations for geothermal energy
Cold district heating in practice – a look at flagship projects (30 mins)
· Brief presentation of selected cold local heating projects (e.g. KNW Opt II and Multisource)
· Different approaches and technological concepts
· Lessons learnt from planning and implementation
From idea to implementation – insights from practice (30 mins)
· What are the key considerations when developing a cold local heating network?
· Which stakeholders should be involved at an early stage?
· Permits, planning stages and project organisation
· Success factors and challenges from ongoing projects
Open discussion on practical issues, challenges and potential solutions (30 mins)
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Presentations 11:10 – 11:30 11:30 – 11:50 11:50 – 12:10 12:10 – 12:30 12:30 – 12:50 | |
From the borehole to the smart heating supply of the future.
A successful borehole is just the beginning. How can geothermal energy become the centrepiece of a reimagined, climate-neutral infrastructure? This workshop bridges the gap between the underground resource and state-of-the-art high-tech applications. We’ll explore how the AI boom and supercomputers are influencing integrated construction and heating planning, how disused mines are being used as cross-border thermal storage, and how cutting-edge computer-aided research is making geothermal reservoirs precisely calculable. Join experts in discussing concepts for the Rhineland mining region and Europe!
Further information will follow.
Further information will follow.
The Berlin-Brandenburg Geoenergy Alliance (GEB²) is a multidisciplinary research network comprising nine research institutions and universities in the region, whose aim is to advance geoenergy projects in the region so that greenhouse gas neutrality can be achieved in the long term.
The aim of the GEB² workshop is to present current and planned projects from the research and industrial sectors and to discuss whether and how GEB² can contribute to ensuring their implementation takes place more quickly and successfully.
The topics covered in the workshop are (I) the use of shell limestone for deep geothermal energy, (II) the co-utilisation of deep sandstone layers for lithium and heat extraction, and (III) the opportunities and challenges of using deep aquifers as heat storage, with particular regard to the planning permission procedures in the Berlin metropolitan area.
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Currently, geothermal probe systems are typically designed during the planning phase using planning tools that have certain limitations. We are introducing the new open-source planning tool developed as part of the OptiGeoS research project. Compared to existing tools, the OptiGeoS tool offers additional features such as: consideration of groundwater flow, consideration of legal soil temperature limits during optimization, optimization not only of individual systems but also of adjacent probe fields, and the joint optimization of probe positions and lengths. In addition, the tool enables rapid simulations and optimizations in hourly time steps over periods spanning several decades. We will compare the calculations and functions of the OptiGeoS tool with those of existing planning tools using case studies.
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Further information will follow
| Location: Room 0.226 |
The Berlin-Brandenburg Geoenergy Alliance (GEB²) is a multidisciplinary research network comprising nine research institutions and universities in the region, whose aim is to advance geoenergy projects in the region so that greenhouse gas neutrality can be achieved in the long term.
The aim of the GEB² workshop is to present current and planned projects from the research and industrial sectors and to discuss whether and how GEB² can contribute to ensuring their implementation takes place more quickly and successfully.
The topics covered in the workshop are (I) the use of shell limestone for deep geothermal energy, (II) the co-utilisation of deep sandstone layers for lithium and heat extraction, and (III) the opportunities and challenges of using deep aquifers as heat storage, with particular regard to the planning permission procedures in the Berlin metropolitan area.
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Like its predecessor, the KarboEx project, the KarboEx2 project is breaking new ground in large-scale geothermal exploration by integrating a selected range of extensive pre-existing data (existing data: 2D seismic, 3D seismic, deep boreholes, mine outcrops, data from mining survey maps and analogue outcrops) and utilising it for specific geothermal exploration purposes. The project does not primarily aim to further develop a specific exploration method, for example, but proposes applying state-of-the-art methods – most of which have since been developed by the hydrocarbon industry – for data processing, seismic attribute analysis and the geological/mining survey interpretation of seismic data to existing data, with the aim of achieving innovative geothermal exploration. The results thus guide and complement, with relatively little effort, current and planned additional geothermal exploration efforts in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The aim of this innovation is to develop and apply an integrated exploration methodology for geothermal energy. This involves interlinked stratigraphic, facies, diagenetic and tectonic analyses of Carboniferous and Devonian carbonates – which have so far been studied mainly in surface outcrops – and, to a limited extent, Cretaceous strata, as well as exploring opportunities for post-mining reuse. The long-term aim of the innovation is to significantly facilitate the development of deep and medium-depth geothermal projects for a carbon-free heat supply in North Rhine-Westphalia by processing readily available information on potential exploitable aquifers, particularly in the Carboniferous and Devonian carbonates, but also in the Cretaceous. The use of existing mine workings as aquifers (post-mining utilisation) is also being considered.
The workshop will present the current status of the project, which is set to run until the end of 2027.
Simultaneous translation into English is available via the LiveVoice app!
Early-Bird-Event on 21 October 2026, 7.45–8.45 am
The early bird drills deep! Whilst others are still waking up, we at Nischenprojekt are already shifting to the mass market.
The industrialisation of deep geothermal energy is the key lever for replacing fossil fuels across the board in district heating networks. But how do we ramp up drilling technology to 800,000 metres per year? How do we scale up projects in key regions, from the North German Basin through the Upper Rhine Graben to the Alpine foothills? Join us at our early-bird event at the Geothermal Congress and play an active part in shaping the technical dialogue!
Networking. Exchanging ideas. Shaping the future of geothermal energy together.
Do you work in the geothermal sector, have an interest in the industry, or would you like to network with other women in the field?
As part of the Geothermal Congress, we invite interested and committed women from businesses, institutions and politics, as well as female students, to an informal get-together. The event is aimed particularly at women, but is expressly open to anyone interested.
The focus is on networking, making new contacts and personal exchange. There is no set programme – we’d like to use the coffee break between the lecture sessions to strike up conversations, share experiences and forge new connections within the geothermal community.
When: 21 October, 3.50–4.20 pm
Where: Restaurant at the conference hotel
Cost: Attendance is free
Registration: Not required – just pop along!
We look forward to seeing you all, to engaging in fascinating discussions and to further strengthening the network of the Women in Geothermal Community in Germany together.
If you have any further questions, please contact:
Mike Tietböhl | dgk(at)geothermie.de
Tel. +49 (0) 30 200 954 950 (weekdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
