Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DG ETIP (Support to the activities of the European Technology and Innovation Platform on Deep Geothermal)
Berichtszeitraum: 2018-07-01 bis 2019-06-30
Geothermal energy is a valuable and local source of energy that can cost-effectively provide base- load/dispatchable electricity, heat or a combination of both. It has great potential as a renewable source, but the relevant resources are far from being fully developed.
To allow geothermal energy to fully meet its potential in the renewable energy mix, it is necessary to tackle some issues to improve performance and reduce costs, and make widespread implementation possible. The mission of the ETIP-DG is therefore to provide a framework for stakeholders to define and implement an innovation strategy to increase the use of geothermal and to foster the growth and the market uptake of the relevant European industries. The primary objective is overall cost reduction, including social, environmental and technological costs. These goals are addressed by the strategic targets of the SET PLan Declaration of Intent on Deep Geothermal Energy.
The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda published in April 2019, recommended actions and research priorities that should be addressed to achieve the key technological and transversal challenges that could make the Vision a solid reality between now and 2050.
The European Technology & Innovation Platform on Deep Geothermal (ETIP-DG) has released in June 2019 its Implementation roadmap for Deep Geothermal, which aims to identify a path forward, developing high performance, cost-effective and sustainable deep geothermal technologies that can expand the production of electricity, heating and cooling while reinforcing EU industrial capacity and leadership in the sector.
The Roadmap 2020-2030 is ranking short to medium term challenges and actions, tracks long-term strategy, and offering a description of topics and goals, providing performance indicators.
To fund these research and innovation activities for deep geothermal, The ETIP-DG estimates that € 1.85 billion is required for the successful implementation of this Deep Geothermal Roadmap. It is necessary to strengthen R&I private investments and increase the public funding budget for R&I projects at European, national and regional levels for the next decade. Moreover, a strengthening of the market deployment policy and knowledge sharing for deep geothermal is also required.
A new generation of deep geothermal systems and technologies, the adaptation of existing technologies for new applications and markets, novel applications to be demonstrated, standardised and combined in hybrid systems, and the promotion of pre-existing technologies will all contribute to an accelerated deployment of geothermal in Europe in the context of the 2030 milestones.
Three important milestones mark the 2018 geothermal market:
(i) total installed capacity is now more than 3 GWe;
(ii) the sector has doubled its capacity in 6 years;
(iii) as of 2018, more than 300 geothermal district heating systems are in operation, compared to 187 in 2010.
According to our estimation, the total turnover of geothermal industries in the EU was € 2.7 billion in 2018.
The ETIP-DG estimates that € 1.7 billion is required for the successful implementation of this Deep Geothermal Roadmap.
The expected resources to be committed by European industry (38%), the European Commission (32%) and Member States & Regions (30%), respectively, across the 2020 – 2030 period, are an average of € 185 million allocated annually to deep geothermal research and innovation activities.