Green Therma deploys closed-loop geothermal demonstration in Groß Schönebeck, Germany

Green Therma deploys demonstration of closed-loop geothermal in Groß Schönebeck, Germany

Green Therma has deployed its closed-loop geothermal demonstration at the Groß Schönebeck research site in Germany, and the project is now moving from installation into operation. The system is intended to test the company’s Heat4Ever/DualVac concept under real geothermal conditions at depths of more than 3 kilometers.

Green Therma deploys closed-loop geothermal demonstration in Groß Schönebeck, Germany

Green Therma has reached an important milestone in the development of closed-loop geothermal technology with the deployment of its demonstration project at the Groß Schönebeck research site in Germany. The company says the system is now circulating water through a single-well closed-loop configuration, bringing geothermal heat to the surface from more than 3 kilometers underground.

The project is being carried out at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences’ geothermal research facility, one of Europe’s best-known deep geothermal test locations. According to GFZ, Green Therma is using the site to test its DualVac vacuum pipe system under real-world conditions for the first time, with the aim of demonstrating heat transport from depth without withdrawing geothermal fluids.

From installation to operation

The latest milestone marks a shift from construction to active testing. Green Therma said the demonstration well has been installed and that water is now circulating through the closed-loop system, allowing geothermal heat to be transported upward from the subsurface.

That matters because many geothermal projects rely on conventional production and injection wells, while closed-loop systems aim to reduce dependence on reservoir permeability and fluid extraction. In Green Therma’s case, the company is positioning its system as a way to deliver direct heat from deep underground with minimal heat loss.

What the project is testing

Green Therma’s Heat4Ever technology is described as a single-well, closed-loop geothermal solution. The company says the DualVac completion assembly is designed to move heat efficiently from depth to the surface while minimizing thermal losses along the wellbore.

At Groß Schönebeck, the tests are intended to assess insulation performance, stability, and long-term operating behavior under different conditions. Green Therma has said the demonstration will help validate the technology for larger-scale applications and future commercial adoption.

Why Groß Schönebeck matters

Groß Schönebeck is a strategic location for geothermal experimentation because it has served as a major research site for deep geothermal work for years. GFZ noted that the site has been used to investigate geothermal energy from deep wells and is now hosting Green Therma’s first real-world test of its new pipe technology.

The site’s value lies in the combination of research infrastructure and practical operating conditions. That makes it a useful place to test whether a closed-loop system can reliably transport heat from depths greater than 3 kilometers without requiring a conventional open-reservoir geothermal setup.

Implications for closed-loop geothermal

Closed-loop geothermal has gained attention because it could open geothermal development to locations where conventional resources are harder to prove or less economical to develop. By reducing reliance on reservoir permeability and fluid production, the approach may lower geological risk and broaden the range of suitable sites.

Green Therma’s demonstration adds to a growing wave of field trials in advanced geothermal systems. If the system performs as intended, it could support the case for direct-use heat applications such as district heating and industrial heat supply, where geothermal economics often depend on steady output and low operating complexity.

Commercial context

The company has framed the demonstration as part of its wider push toward commercialization. Green Therma says the project will advance its Heat4Ever platform for larger-scale deployment, while GFZ describes the work as part of collaboration with the Danish company under the TRANSGEO project.

The broader significance is that the geothermal sector is increasingly exploring designs that can expand the technology’s addressable market. Closed-loop systems like Green Therma’s are being watched closely because they promise to combine the reliability of geothermal heat with fewer subsurface uncertainties than traditional projects.

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