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GIGA -M A Regional Munich Geothermal Research Project

Regional Geothermal Research Project GIGA-M: A Step Towards Sustainable Energy Supply in Munich and Surroundings

By Robert Buluma

A significant step towards a sustainable energy future is being taken in Munich and the surrounding district. A broad coalition of stakeholders is working together to advance the use of deep geothermal energy. The goal is to quickly and sustainably tap into the heat energy in the underground through a variety of new projects. This is to be done based on an optimized joint use of the thermal water reservoir in the Greater Munich area.


An essential basis for this endeavor is an extensive seismic measurement campaign to be carried out as part of the GIGA-M research project. The funding decision from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection is now available, and the project can officially begin. Over a period of four years, it aims to prepare the region for a transition to a climate-neutral, secure, and affordable heat supply.


Under the leadership of the Technical University of Munich, the Munich District, the Ebersberg-Munich Energy Agency, the City of Munich, and the Munich City Utilities are working closely together. The Energy Transition Garching, as an operator of geothermal plants in the surrounding area, is also a partner in this project.


Currently, more than 42 boreholes with a total thermal output of approximately 400 megawatts are already in use. The remaining untapped potential is estimated at over one gigawatt. Inter-municipal solutions are needed to exploit this huge CO2-free energy potential. This is where the GIGA-M research project comes in, addressing non-technical barriers to the expansion of deep geothermal energy and developing common framework conditions and economic implementation models.


An extensive 3D seismic campaign covering an area of around 1,000 square kilometers will further explore the underground in and around Munich. This will create a detailed depth model serving as the basis for intensive and sustainable management of the thermal water resources. New development methods are being investigated to tap into distant reservoir areas.


The estimated total cost of the project is around 20 million euros, with approximately 11 million euros funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.

We did an article on Geothermal heat revamped a Germany Stadium

The GIGA-M research project paves the way for a regional heat transition away from fossil fuels towards a climate-neutral, secure, and affordable heat supply. It underscores the need for a collaborative and coordinated approach involving research, science, as well as city and municipal authorities to sustainably harness the immense potential of geothermal energy.

Source:Alphaxioms

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