Geothermal Energy in Switzerland – Country Update 2015-2020

Abstract

Shallow and near surface geothermal projects are a success story in Switzerland. Various types of utilization are applied. The oldest applications are thermal spas, which remain popular. However, most systems are ground-coupled heat pumps for heating residential houses, office buildings etc. In recent years, cooling especially during summer time has become increasingly important. Even tunnel waters are alternately used for geothermal heating and cooling. Nonetheless, ground-coupled heat pump systems are still the most common application amounting to 85 % of the totally installed thermal capacity. To date, geothermal energy direct use and power remains marginal with only few such projects realized and, until now, no geothermal power produced in Switzerland. However, since 2011 Switzerland has been developing an Energy Strategy 2050, whose first phase of implementation aims, among other objectives, to increase the power and heat supply from renewable energies. Tailored measures and incentives have been implemented to enable geothermal power production and direct use to overcome its principal barrier for development, the resource risk that owes to poor knowledge of Switzerland’s subsurface. Policy support has generated great interest in particular for direct use geothermal projects, which have substantial potential to not only increase the share of renewables in the energy system but also contribute to Switzerland’s ambitious climate targets.