Full program for Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern to focus on heat transition

Carlo Cariaga 26 Sep 2023

The Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern will be held on 10-12 Oct, 2023 in Pullach, Germany with workshops and forums focused on geothermal for heat transition.

From October 10 to 12, 2023, the Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern in Bavaria, Germany will put the focus on the geothermal heat revolution and its implementation.

At the Bürgerhaus Pullach, experts from business, science, politics and practice will discuss the latest developments, for example on the topic of funding opportunities, new projects in Bavaria, medium-depth geothermal energy or various technical aspects.

In the last year, the enormous potential of geothermal energy has become much more in the focus of the public. Bavarian municipalities are still pioneers in this field in Germany, but the topic is also gaining momentum in other German states. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting projects and inaugurating plants, for example in Geretsried, Potsdam, and Schwerin.

It has become clear what a major contribution deep geothermal energy can make to power generation and, above all, to the heat transition. The benefits of deep geothermal energy have also been recognized in neighboring European countries, for example in France, which has set up a state guarantee fund worth 197 million euros. A strong signal that will hopefully
radiate to other countries as well! Nevertheless, there are still challenges – both of a technical and permitting nature. But these can be mastered successfully.

The Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern shows new developments and solutions for current challenges in the various funding and financing options. Experts from science, business, politics and practice discuss how geothermal projects can be optimally implemented. In addition to the more established participants, we are also interested in addressing potential
newcomers and getting them interested in geothermal energy.

The agency Enerchange GmbH & Co. KG, organizer of the now 11th Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern, compiled a comprehensive program from October 10 – 12, 2023 at the Bürgerhaus Pullach.

Young professionals forum on 10 October

The career forum is aimed at students from a wide range of study programs and gives them an insight into the opportunities and challenges of geothermal energy. There are already more than 20 registrations to take advantage of the offer on October 10 with presentations on the different phases in the development of a geothermal project.

After extensive networking, Innovative Energy for Pullach (IEP) will present the geothermal plant in Pullach to the students. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to discuss the many employment opportunities in the geothermal industry over drinks. The career forum is supported by SWM and IEP.

Workshops on October 10 – Aspects of municipal heat supply and booster pumps

Workshop I will focus on municipal heat supply. In the course of the Building Energy Act, municipal heat planning is intensively debated, while pioneering municipalities are already starting to implement it.

Michael Perkmann will talk about the advantages of municipal networking using the example of the Regionalwerk Chiemgau-Rupertiwinkel gKU, before Dr. Maik Günther from Stadtwerke München (SWM) will talk about municipal heat planning in Munich and the role of geothermal energy. Practical insights into municipal heat planning will be shared by Miriam Sepke-Vogt from Technische Werke Schussental, using the examples of Ravensburg and Weingarten. Susanne Ochse from GEF Ingenieure AG conclude the first workshop with an overview of the development of heat management planning.

Workshop II is dedicated to the different feed pumps for geothermal plants. Frank Heipl presents the pump strategy of SWM. Dennis Duwe from Baker Hughes then discusses a particularly innovative use of subsea generators. Before Adam Waniek from Oil Dynamics presents the technical optimization possibilities of submersible centrifugal pumps for demanding geothermal applications, Christian Scholz-Stahlhofen from Igatec explains the use of rod pumps.

The day will again be concluded with the popular Ice-Breaker event, to which all registered participants are cordially invited for drinks and finger food in the bistro “Treibhaus” directly at the conference venue.

Congress day on October 11 – from funding programs and reservoir development to new projects in Bavaria and medium-depth geothermal energy and large-scale heat pumps

After the welcome by Pullach’s 1st mayor Mrs. Susanna Tausendfreund, the diverse congress day will start with the keynotes. Prof. Dr. Inga Moeck from the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics will shed light on the prerequisites for the ramp-up of geothermal energy in Germany, before Uta Weiß from Agora Energiewende talks about the development of green heat sources for heating networks. Large-scale heat pumps can be drivers here, especially for medium-depth geothermal energy.

Forum I will then address the financing of geothermal projects through various funding components. The focus will be on the various subsidy programs, primarily the exploration program and the federal subsidy for efficient heat networks (BEW), but also on CO2 certificates.

In Forum II, which will take place in parallel, various speakers will discuss reservoir development under the moderation of Ingo Forstner from the German Federal Association for Natural Gas, Petroleum and Geoenergy (Bundesverband Erdgas, Erdöl und Geoenergie e.V.).

The afternoon will begin with a keynote address by Stefan Wenzel, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, before Forums III and IV will deal in parallel with new projects in Bavaria and medium-depth geothermal energy in combination with large-scale heat pumps, among other things.

Award ceremonies

Following the keynote speech by State Secretary Wenzel and before the afternoon forums begin, another highlight will follow with the presentation of the Geothermal Energy Awards Bavaria for Electricity and Heat. Young scientists will then be honored with the Christian Hecht Award, which this year is supported by SWM.

Simultaneous translation

As in previous years, Forum I and III will again be simultaneously translated into English during the congress day on October 11, so that international guests can also follow the presentations.

Eavor-GeoTHOUR on October 12

This year, the geothermal project in Geretsried, which has received much attention due to its novelty, is the target of GeoTHOUR. There will be the opportunity to visit the two drilling sites where the Canadian company Eavor is working on the first commercial “closed-loop” system. The experts on site will be available to answer the participants’ questions.

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