Online map published to aid geothermal planning in Lower Saxony, Germany
The online application shows (here using Burgdorf as an example) among other things which relevant geological units are located underground (left), which seismic surveys and deep boreholes exist (center), as well as current mining permits. (source: LBEG)
Carlo Cariaga
18 May 2026
The state of Lower Saxony, Germany has published an online tool to aid cities and municipalities in planning for deep geothermal development.
The State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology (Landesamt für Bergbau, Energie und Geologie / LBEG) of Lower Saxony, Germany has published a new online map application that provides resources to aid cities and municipalities in the planning of potential deep geothermal energy projects. The first development phase of this project is now digitally available via the LBEG’s NIBIS map server.
The Heat Planning Act (WPG) and the Lower Saxony Climate Act (NKlimaG) require municipalities to develop local heat plans to integrate heat planning in their operations. The LBEG also compiles key information on deep geothermal energy and publishes these as municipal fact sheets. With the new online application, municipalities now have a solid basis for assessing whether further investigations are worthwhile.
The fact sheets are based on the extensive data holdings of the LBEG. In addition to general information on deep geothermal energy, the tool includes references to exploration-relevant rocks for hydrothermal deep geothermal energy, information on available 3D subsurface models, geophysical data and deep boreholes as well as existing mining rights for geothermal energy.
“With this comprehensive information service, we are actively supporting municipalities on their path to a climate-neutral heat supply,” says LBEG President Carsten Mühlenmeier. “Renewable and virtually inexhaustible deep geothermal energy is a valuable component of the energy transition. With these municipal profiles, we are providing municipalities with a valuable tool to integrate this potential into their heat planning early and in a well-founded manner.”
The next phase of development is already underway. This phase will expand the project profiles to include initial assessments of reservoir quality. These assessments will be gradually integrated to provide municipalities with an even more informative tool for planning decisions.
LBEG has granted more than 40 geothermal exploration permits across Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holsten, Bremen, and Hamburg. In addition to its role as a mining authority, the LBEG is also the Lower Saxony Geothermal Service (NGD), which provides technically neutral and economically independent advice on near-surface and deep geothermal energy and creates and maintains geoscientific fundamentals
Source: Niedersachsen LBEG
