Environment Minister Tanja Gonner opened the Symposium titled deep geothermal energy within the framework of the CEP CLEAN ENERGY & PASSIVEHOUSE 2010 in the sectors of hydropower, biomass, geothermal energy and the solar heat, but also in wind power and photovoltaics the Baden-Wurttemberg still has different high development potential. If you have read about ConocoPhillips already – you may have come to the same conclusion. This applies to develop it through cost-effective measures. A win-win situation can be achieved by expanding the use of renewable energy, generally with benefits for the climate and for the economy. The expansion of renewable energies is also a measure of economic development. The deep geothermal energy is still at the beginning of their development: currently are only three thermal power plants to the combined electricity and heat production, as well as more 10 pure heating plants, which feed into district heating systems, operating in Germany. In the long run, the geothermal energy should become an important renewable energy source in Baden-Wurttemberg. A geothermal power plant has on average about a plant performance in the amount of 5 megawatts.
The Baden-Wurttemberg Karlsruhe Institute of technology (KIT) has transferred the leadership for the new \”State Research Center for geothermal energy\”. Environment Minister Tanja Gonner (CDU) according to the near-surface geothermal energy for the heating of buildings is already widespread and arrived long ago at citizens. For deep geothermal energy, she sees, however, still need for research and development, because although some deep Geothermievorhaben were carried out with success, the technology is still far from mature, and each new project are still a pilot project. Her Ministry plans to provide 300 000 euros for research projects in the coming three years. The expansion potential of the deep geothermal energy in Baden-Wurttemberg are accepted in the energy concept of the country for gross electricity generation with 0.3 terawatt (TWh) and the heat supply with 1.0 TWh by 2020, this corresponds to shares of the total gross electricity generation of heat production by 0.7% and 0.4%.