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Italy FER2 zero-emissions geothermal auction: 29.4MW projects approved

Italy’s FER2 Auction Approves Two Zero‑Emissions Geothermal Projects — What It Means for the Market Overview: FER2’s first geothermal auction and the winners Italy’s FER2 incentive mechanism — established by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) to stimulate renewable investment through long‑term Contracts for Difference (CfDs) — has completed its first geothermal tender, awarding favourable rankings to two zero‑emissions projects with a combined capacity of 29.4 MW. The auction aimed to allocate a dedicated 30 MW quota for geothermal plants that operate with no net emissions, and it selected: - Pola 1: a 24.4 MW project in Jolanda di Savoia, Ferrara. - ITW & LKW Geotermia Italia: a 5 MW plant in Castel Giorgio, Terni. Two other bids — a 12.69 MW project in Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina by Magma Energy Italia and a 5 MW proposal in Monterotondo Marittimo from Enel Green Power Italia — were excluded from the final rankings. The FER2 framework sets explicit timeli...

STADTWERKE NEURUPPIN GMBH RECEIVES OVER €10 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR GEOTHERMAL PROJECT

The geothermal project of Stadtwerke Neuruppin is expected to receive about 40% of its funding from the German Federal Government. This will help Neuruppin become largely independent of fossil fuels. The project will involve drilling to a depth of 1,700-1,800 meters, but this requires approval from the mining authority and the construction permit from the district.

Image: Artur Dzasokhov, Thoralf Uebach, Wiebke Papenbrock, Nico Ruhle, and Jan Juraschek (from left to right) during the handover. Source: Fontanestadt NeuruppinArtur Dzasokhov, Thoralf Uebach, Wiebke Papenbrock, Nico Ruhle, and Jan Juraschek (from left to right) during the handover. Source: Fontanestadt Neuruppin

At the New Year's reception of the Fontane city six weeks ago, Thoralf Uebach, managing director of Stadtwerke Neuruppin GmbH (SWN), reported on the ambitious geothermal project for which funding had already been requested. Now, the first step has been taken: in the presence of Mayor Nico Ruhle and Building Commissioner Jan Juraschek, the management of SWN received a grant of over €10 million from the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control. This amount represents about 40% of the total budget of €25.5 million for the geothermal project, and comes from the federal funding program "Efficient Heating Networks."

Thoralf Uebach said, "This means that we can largely become independent of fossil fuels." He also noted that SWN is one of the first companies to receive funding for such a project. According to Artur Dzasokhov, technical director of SWN, the idea of geothermal energy is not new, as the company has been working on this since 1987/88. However, previous projects of this kind were not economically viable due to the gas price. Since the events in Ukraine a year ago, many have started to think differently.

The company is confident that the project will be successful, as it knows what to expect underground. However, the company still needs to obtain approval from the mining authority and construction permit from the district. It will also need to demolish a building, affectionately called the "baracke", at the SWN site so that drilling can take place. During the drilling process, sound barriers and a drilling tower will be installed, and drilling is expected to take about six months.

Mayor Nico Ruhle believes that this project is an important step for the energy supply of the Fontane city and notes that despite the high cost, it will ultimately provide price stability for SWN customers. Wiebke Papenbrock, a member of the German parliament who supported the funding of the project, believes that it will be a flagship project that will have an impact beyond Neuruppin. Building Commissioner Jan Juraschek thinks that the project is an important step towards a more sustainable urban development. The heating supply is expected to begin in 2027.

Source:(Bundersverband Geothermie)

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