France relaxes regulations on shallow and low-enthalpy geothermal projects
Drilling rig of DrillHeat at E.Lecrerc site in France (source: Arverne Group)
Carlo Cariaga
1 Jul 2026
Simplified regulatory rules have been approved for shallow and low-enthalpy geothermal installations in France as part of efforts to accelerate deployment.
A new decree has been published in France that broadens the scope of shallow geothermal installation that do not require declaration or authorization under the mining code. The decree (2026-537) has been published in the Official Journal dated 25/6/2026.
Under the decree, the following have been added to the list of geothermal energy sources that are not subject to the mining code and therefore do not require declaration or authorization:
- Geothermal installations with open geothermal exchangers less than 10 meters deep connected downstream of a hot water source used for thermal purposes, whose discharge into surface waters, whether natural or channeled, respects the ecology and temperature of the receiving environment;
- Open geothermal heat exchangers with a depth of less than 10 meters supplied by a water intake structure classified under the nomenclature annexed to Article R. 214-1 of the Environmental Code, provided that:
- the geothermal exchanger does not change the total amount of water extracted;
- the discharge specific to the geothermal exchanger is compatible with the characteristics of the receiving environment and does not degrade its ecological quality.
The decree also expands the maximum thermal power output of low-enthalpy geothermal systems to be classified under “geothermal energy of minimal importance” (Géothermie de Minime Importance / GMI) from 500 kW to 2 MW. This allows more projects to benefit from the simplified administrative procedures under the GMI regulatory regime. This was one of the recommended actions included on the list of concrete measures to support the French geothermal action plan.
The decree also contains provisions that strengthen the sanctions related to minor geothermal works.
As the French Association of Geothermal Professionals (AFPG) states, the new measure will “promote the deployment of geothermal energy in tertiary buildings, collective housing, public facilities, eco-districts, and heating networks.” The ARVERNE Group further commented that the declaration on geothermal probes increases the surface of buildings that can be cooled and heated using geothermal energy has been “multiplied by 4, from 10,000 to 40,000 square meters.”
Source: Geothermies.fr, AFPG, and LegiFrance
