Shallow geothermal potential validated at several sites in Tarragona, Spain
Roman Amphitheater at Tarragonia, Catalonia, Spain (source: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Carlo Cariaga
29 Jun 2026
An exploration drilling campaign has indicated shallow geothermal potential across six municipalities in Tarragonia, Spain.
An exploration drilling campaign in the city of Tarragona in Spain has validated that shallow geothermal potential exists in at least six municipalities. The results of this campaign are now the basis for several proposals to develop geothermal heating and cooling solutions for each municipality. However, raising the initial investment for the projects will be the next major challenge.
As ThinkGeoEnergy reported back in 2022, the city of Tarragona has collaborated with the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC) to oversee the construction of six geothermal boreholes in different municipalities under a EUR 120,00 contract. Funding for the project came from the Nuclear Transition Funds, which aims to support energy transition efforts are the Asco and Vandellos nuclear power plants are gradually decommissioned.
Based on the results of the study, there is a promising outlook for geothermal development for all six municipalities including Ascó, Mont-roig del Camp, Montbrió del Camp, Flix, Ulldemolins and El Perelló.
The development proposals vary for each municipality. In Ulldemolins, for instance, the EUR 2 million proposal calls for the drilling of about 90 boreholes to supply heating and cooling to about a third of the municipal area. In Montrbio del Camp, a geothermal network supplied by about 152 boreholes can provide heating and cooling to about 99 apartment blocks. This proposal is expected to require an investment of EUR 2.8 million.
“We’re excited. Anything involving affordable renewable energy gives you resilience. Furthermore, Flix is ??in an area with highly variable temperatures throughout the year, and geothermal energy acts as a stabilizing factor,” commented Flix Mayor Francesc Barbero.
All representatives of the municipalities involved in the study have expressed optimism about the study results. However, they have all also expressed concern about how the initial investments can be raised. Mayor Barbero has stated that subsidies will be vital for undertaking an infrastructure project at this scale. Similarly, the municipality of Mont-roig del Camp is awaiting approval for subsidies from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE).
Shallow geothermal development for heating and cooling has been developed and explored in Spain for several years now, with applications rangin from transport hubs to schools. More recently, there has been growing interest in exploring for high-temperature geothermal resources in Madrid. Across the Atlantic Ocean, geothermal drilling has started in the island of Tenerife, targeting a high-temperature geothermal resource at 2500 to 3000 meters depth.
Source: Diari de Tarragona
