Local utilities in/ near Munich to partner on geothermal energy district heating development

Stadtwerke München (SWM) and the Erdwärme Grünwald (EWG) want to cooperate in the future in the field of deep geothermal energy with a letter of intent signed last week. So far, EWG and SWM had already investigated the thermal water resources south of Grünwald together with the company Innovative Energy for Pullach (IEP). At the beginning of 2018, the partners carried out extensive seismic measurements, the evaluation of which is expected to be available shortly.

Among other things, the two pioneers of geothermal heat supply think about connecting their heat networks, expand existing geothermal plants, and build new ones, if necessary. Thus, the possibility should be created to exchange each other’s district heating and to optimally use the geothermal reservoir south of the city of Munich, so the release.

Helge-Uve Braun, Technical Manager of SWM: “Climate change knows no boundaries. Therefore, the solutions to combat it must not stop at city or state borders. This regional cooperation brings us a great deal closer to our goal of supplying Munich with 100 percent CO2-neutral district heating by 2040.  But the people in the region will also benefit in the same way. ”

Andreas Lederle, Managing Director of Erdwärme Grünwald: “We want to guarantee the citizens in Grünwald and Unterhaching the highest possible security of supply – and that CO2-neutral. The networking of existing and new geothermal sources as well as the possible linkage of the networks in the region strengthen the reliability and climate protection.”

By connecting the district heating networks, the partners could make even better use of their facilities. In the case of necessary maintenance work, for example, they would have the option of purchasing heat from the other network or a shared geothermal plant.

Source:  Company press release