By 2050, up to a quarter of the heat demand in Switzerland could be covered by geothermal
Drilling rig on site at Satigny/ Geneva, Switzerland (source: Geothermie 2020)
Alexander Richter
16 Dec 2020
As elsewhere in Europe, geothermal energy could play an important role in replacing fossil fuel-based heating with geothermal energy. In Switzerland, the potential share of geothermal could be up to 25%, so the Swiss geothermal association, Geothermie Suisse.
Until 2050, geothermal energy will cover at least a quarter of the heat demand in Switzerland. Geothermal energy will thus constitute an important source of renewable energy and will help reduce CO2 emissions in Switzerland. In order to exploit this potential, the Federal Council is prepared to launch a national underground exploration program, as reported by the Swiss geothermal association, Geothermie Schweiz.
In 2050, Switzerland must not emit more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than those that can be absorbed by technical or natural reservoirs. This climate neutrality objective was set by the Federal Council in 2019. In addition, the Energy Outlook 2050+ of the Confederation, which have just been published, forecast a heat requirement of some 70 terawatt hours. Geothermal energy plays an essential part in achieving these two objectives. According to the most recent analyzes, geothermal energy can provide at least 17 terawatt-hours of heat until 2050, in an ecological and not cumbersome, local and economical way. Thus, geothermal energy will cover at least 25 percent of Switzerland’s heat requirement until 2050, whereas today geothermal energy only contributes 4 percent to our country’s heat supply.
A potential still far not exhausted
According to calculations made by the Zurich consultancy firm TEP Energy, which also participated in the preparation of the Confederation’s 2050+ energy outlook, and the Swiss Geothermal Federation, the economically exploitable potential of the heat of geothermal origin at medium depth amounts to 8 terawatt hours (LINK position paper). The exploitation of this potential requires some 250 thermal installations at a depth of 1000 to 2000 meters.
In the field of shallow geothermal energy, Switzerland is already part of the leading group today. Much of the 4 terawatt-hours of heat produced in 2019 is due to geothermal probes. This production could in the future be more than doubled to reach at least 9 terawatt hours.
In total, geothermal energy will provide at least 17 terawatt hours of heat each year in 2050, which will save 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Géothermie-Suisse is currently working on a concrete action plan to significantly facilitate access to geothermal energy in cities, towns, energy supply companies, industrial companies and agriculture.
The Federal Council wants an underground exploration program
Even if the geothermal potential of the Swiss underground is not disputed, at a depth of more than 1,000 meters it is hardly exploited today. Main reason – unlike in neighbouring countries – the Swiss subsoil is practically still unknown. To reduce this obstacle in favor of potential authors of geothermal projects, the PLR ??parliamentary group of the National Council demands from the Federal Council by way of a motion a National Program for the Exploration of the Swiss Subsoil. The Federal Council recently decided to accept this mandate. If the Federal Parliament agrees, nothing will oppose the exploitation of large-scale geothermal energy.
More information
- Géothermie-Suisse’s position on heat potential
- Geothermal energy statistics in Switzerland in 2019
- Riehen Geothermal Plant Factsheet (BS)
- Geothermal projects in Switzerland
- Motion of the PLR ??group to the National Council: “Shedding light on climate protection, energy security and the operation of infrastructure through underground exploration”
- The Confederation’s Energy Outlook 2050+
Source: Geothermie Suisse
