Second well drilled for geothermal project in Munich exceeds expectations
Drilling rag at Schäftlarnstraße, Munich, Germany (source: Erdwerk)
Alexander Richter
25 Jan 2019
The second well for the geothermal heating plant in the city of Munich has been successfully drilled to a depth of 3,044 meters with temperatures of around 108 degrees Celsius.
The utility of the city of Munich, Stadtwerke München (SWM) reports success of its second well drilled for a planned combined heat and power station in the city. At a depth of 3,044 meters, the company discovered boiling hot water. “At 108 degrees, the temperature is significantly higher than expected,” says Helge-Uve Braun, Technical Director of SWM.
Drilling for the geothermal plant at the Combined Heat and Power Plant South, the experts had previously assumed that they could encounter a temperature of 102 degrees Celsius hot thermal water at a depth of 3,000 meters. But after completing the second of a total of six wells for the new geothermal plant, Braun is sure that on the (river) Isar “the hitherto most powerful and so far largest geothermal plant in Germany” will arise. So far, it was planned that the plant could deliver a maximum of 50 MW thermal.
This will enable SWM to supply more than 80,000 Munich residents with green heat already in the coming year. By the end of this year, drilling for the geothermal plant should be completed. At the same time, the heating center is being built in which the equipment is to be housed. The new geothermal plant at the southern district heating plant is “another step on our way to generate district heating in Munich by 2040 CO?-neutral,” says Braun.
Munich is regarded nationwide as a pioneer in geothermal energy. Since 2004, the heating requirements of the exhibition facilities have been covered by the geothermal system in Riem. Since 2014, the power plant in Sauerlach has also been part of Stadtwerke’s energy concept. Since autumn 2016, a facility in Freiham has been covering the base load of heat demand in the newly emerging district and adjoining areas in the west of Munich. In addition, Stadtwerke plans to build another three geothermal plants by 2025.
Source: Sueddeutsche Zeitung
