Consortium acquires permit for joint geothermal exploration in northern Vaud, Switzerland
The YOM consortium has secured the permit for a seismic survey to explore geothermal resources in the northern Vaud region in Switzerland.
The YOM consortium has acquired the necessary permit to conduct a joint geothermal resource exploration campaign covering 29 municipalities in the northern Vaud region in Switzerland. A seismic campaign survey is expected to commence by October 2025, which is expected to take around three weeks.
The YOM consortium was launched in late 2024 as a partnership between three companies – Y-CAD SA, Orllati Real Estate SA, and MalmEnergie Naturelle SA. Each of the consortium members holds a surface exploration permit covering distinct areas in the Yverdon-les-Bains region, as well as different specializations and experience.
The first phase of the project, called GéothermY, involves establishing a 3D map of the subsurface of the study site. To do this, a total of 20,000 geophones will be deployed and placed on the ground. These will record the seismic data emitted by vibrating trucks and reflected by different layers in the subsurface. Real-time reporting of the progress of the GéothermY phase is available at the official project page.
Seismic data acquisition is expected to end by November 2025. The data will be processed and analyzed during the next 6-12 months. According to Pierre-Alain Kreutschy, Director General of Y-CAD, all the acquired data from the study will be made publicly available by the consortium after two years.
The exploration campaign will provide valuable information that will improve knowledge of the subsurface and enable geothermal drilling in the region. If the results are promising, the plan is for drilling to commence by 2027.
Medium-depth geothermal resources in the Yverdon-les-Bains region are primarily intended to provide heat for heating buildings and neighborhoods through district heating networks and agricultural greenhouses, for producing domestic hot water, and for industrial and agricultural processes. Electricity generation can also be considered depending on the knowledge gained from medium-depth drilling, and the level of maturity of appropriate technologies.
Source: Geothermie Suisse
