Best Practice Project: Geothermal Energy Plant Unterhaching, Germany

Abstract

In the Bavarian town of Unterhaching inhabitants can lean back relaxed. They do not have to worry about rising prices of heating oil and gas in the future, because the first geothermal energy plant for heat- and power generation has been realized in their commune. This is possible because of the advantageous geologic location in the upper Bavarian Molasse Basin. There is an aquifer three kilometers below the surface. This hot water carrying layer, the so called Malmkarst, allows the utilization of heat, which is stored in the earth’s interior, quasi for free and in an unimaginable dimension. Furthermore the utilization of renewable thermal energy is an environmentally friendly alternative to heat supply by heating oil and gas It is the largest project in Germany, still considered to be way pathing for the complete sector.