Promoting shallow geothermal heating/cooling for existing residential buildings in the EU

Project Information

PSGHCERB

Grant agreement ID: 101066635

DOI

10.3030/101066635

Project closed

EC signature date 7 July 2022

Start date 1 October 2022

End date 30 September 2024

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 203 464,32

Coordinated by

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PSGHCERB (Promoting shallow geothermal heating/cooling for existing residential buildings in the EU)

Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Nearly 75% of the existing residential buildings in the European Union are energy-inefficient. However, currently only about 1% of the existing residential buildings undergo in-depth energy renovations each year. Although some studies have considered and recommended using shallow geothermal systems to provide heating/cooling for buildings to reduce users' energy consumption so as to promote in-depth energy-saving renovations of existing residential buildings, in practice, there are still problems such as small scale and low renovation rates. The main reasons include a series of issues like the lack of cooperation from householders, high investment costs, lack of understanding of geothermal technologies, low government subsidies, ineffective incentive measures, lack of motivation among technology and service providers, low profit margins, as well as market and institutional barriers. This project aims to develop an effective incentive mechanism and measures, understand householders' willingness to participate and the main factors influencing their decisions, thereby promoting householders to use shallow geothermal systems for heating their rooms in their residential buildings to improve the heating energy consumption of their residences. This project will help accelerate the European Union's achievement of the carbon dioxide emission targets put forward in the "2030 Climate and Energy Framework".

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Currently, the main tasks and objectives of this project have been completed. The project will investigate the potential cooperation willingness and driving forces for promoting householders to use shallow geothermal energy from the perspective of Europe (mainly the Netherlands), and has studied the key factor indicators that influence householders' decision-making. Up to now, this project has already gone through interviews with experts and householders. More than 20 households have been interviewed one-on-one. Meanwhile, we also surveyed 800 homeowners in the Netherlands through a questionnaire company to understand the energy-saving situation of their current houses, their satisfaction with the existing houses, as well as their attitudes, beliefs and willingness to participate in the use of geothermal technology. Additionally, the factors influencing their decisions on using geothermal energy have also been investigated. In this project, two conference papers and two journal papers have been published or submitted, among them, one is currently under review. In addition, another paper is still being written. To publicize the effects of the project, we have also held three academic seminars and recorded four videos introducing geothermal technology knowledge and publicizing the research progress of the project, which have been uploaded to public video websites like YouTube. Besides, the relevant content of this project has also been published on the official website of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), that is, the 39th MCAA NEWSLETTER. In addition, we have also organized a large number of academic exchange meetings, academic sharing activities and lectures to publicize the research progress and achievements of the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

1. Key Results: This project has provided in-depth understanding of homeowners’ attitudes, beliefs, and willingness to adopt shallow geothermal systems. It identified specific socio-psychological and economic factors influencing decision-making, such as financial incentives, environmental awareness, and trust in geothermal technologies. Increased awareness and trust in geothermal energy could lead to widespread behavioral shifts, encouraging homeowners to adopt sustainable practices.
2. Key Needs for Further Uptake and Success: 1) Conduct longitudinal studies to track the long-term impact of geothermal adoption on energy efficiency and carbon emissions, and then expand research to other EU countries to account for regional and cultural diversity; 2) Implement pilot project investigation that can showcase the practical benefits of shallow geothermal systems to build public trust and encourage adoption; 3) Streamline existing regulations to simplify the installation process and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for homeowners and service providers, and provide the policy comments for geothermal system installation and maintenance in existing buidlings or communities; 4) Promote cross-border collaboration within the EU and beyond to share best practices and scale up the deployment of geothermal solutions.