The Retrofit Revolution: How GreenFire Energy Is Unlocking Geothermal Power Without Drilling a Single New Well By: Robert Buluma While much of the geothermal energy sector has been focused on breakthrough drilling techniques—deeper wells, hotter reservoirs, and complex engineered systems—a quieter revolution has been unfolding in the background. Instead of chasing entirely new subsurface frontiers, one company has chosen a radically simpler question: What if the answer was already in the ground? GreenFire Energy is advancing a retrofit-first geothermal strategy that targets one of the most overlooked opportunities in the global energy transition: existing wells that are underperforming, depleted, or completely abandoned. Rather than drilling new holes into the Earth, the company is reusing the infrastructure that already exists—turning stranded assets into continuous sources of clean, baseload electricity. This approach is not just technically elegant. It may also be one of ...
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.
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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