The utilisation of geothermal energy is regarded as a promising possibility to cover a substantial part of mankind's ever increasing energy demand. Today the hydrogeothermal resources used in Germany for low temperature heat supply cover only a small part of the current energy demand. Restrictions for a more wide-spread application result from a variety of factors of different nature and scale. Regional geological set-tings (supply) and consumer structures (demand) are well known with some degree of uncertainty and technical solutions for the exploitation of different resources are available. Due to the mentioned uncer-tainties reliable cost predictions depend on very de-tailed location specific information, as the techno-logical layout is strongly affected by the above men-tioned parameters and their interaction.

Within an interdisciplinary working group of geosci-entists, engineers, and economists the following top-ics and the coupling between various parameters was investigated:
- geologic-petrophysical characterisation of the resources,
- conditioning of the geothermal water loop,
- long-term behaviour of the utilised aquifers,
- economical analysis of drilling alternatives and various design plants
- optimisation of district heating systems
- energy-ecological and energy-economical analy-sis.

The investigations contribute to a better understand-ing about mechanisms and processes during the ex-ploitation of hydrothermal resources. Recommenda-tions for the layout of Geothermal Heating Plants and their operational regimes are derived. The tools de-veloped show, that the utilisation can be competitive with the fossil fuel combustion of their alternatives. Environmental effects associated with the later are avoided to a great extent. As a result, special geologi-cal, customer market, and ecological conditions can be examined more precisely and lead to recommen-dations for local utilisation of geothermal energy.

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