Geothermal panel within Technology platform on renewable heating and cooling established

Jul. 08, 2009 – The commission has endorsed technology platforms for several industry already. It has also asked the different actors from the field of renewable energy usage to join forces in a technology platform on renewable heating and cooling (TC-RHC). This platform was established and it was decided to organize the work in four panels (Biomass, Geothermal, Solar thermal and cross-cutting issues). Last friday (26.6.09) interested parties - among them the European Heat Pump Association - met to establish the panel on geothermal energy use.

This panel will deal with all aspects of energy use from geothermal sources in heating/cooling applications, but will exclude geothermal electricity production.

The participants agreed on this structure:

Focus Group 1: Shallow Geothermal

WG 1.a: Underground systems technologies and installation

WG 1.b: Site investigation and Design, sustainability

WG 1.c: exploitation and performance monitoring (inc storage, coupling with others energies)

WG 1.d: Surface Systems

Focus Group 2: Deep Geothermal:

WG 2.d: surface systems :Direct uses & cascade uses, District Heating & cooling, CHP

WG 2.b: Deep drilling

WG 2.a: Resource assessment, exploration

WG 2.c: production technologies

WG 2.e: EGS

Focus Group 3: non technical issues

WG3a : shallow > Market and Policies (regulations, financing and economics), Communication

WG3b : deep > Market and Policies (regulations, financing and economics), Communication

WG3c : Training (common for shallow and deep)

A website is not yet available, but will be accessible via the Commissions overview page on all technology platforms.