The Federal Council of Switzerland has voted in favor of a postulate by National Councilor Katja Christ calling for an action plan and roadmap for the development of medium-depth geothermal energy for heat supply. The proposal, with the title “Geothermal energy for heat supply: Check the potential and show the road map!” received 131 positive votes, 60 negative votes, and 5 abstained.
According to the proposal, the Federal Council will have to submit a report on the potential of geothermal energy for heat supply. It should include the following information:
- the potential
- the practical hurdles and problems that are slowing down geothermal development
- the additional measures beyond the current support system that are necessary to exploit this potential
- which location already have thermal networks or are planning to have them that are particularly suitable for geothermal plants for heat supply
- an overview of the experience and technologies already in use abroad
- a realistic roadmap and timetable for the implementation of said measures and the exploitation of the potential.
National Councillor Katja Christ lives in Riehen and her home is heated by the geothermal district heating network. For her, the intelligent use of geothermal energy is a sensible matter to pursue.
“The multiplication potential is huge ,” says Christ. “With the acceptance of my postulate, the individual loose actions at federal and cantonal level can now be combined into a whole in the roadmap I have called for in order to release this domestic base energy, and the federal government must play a leading role in this.”
Geological conditions, for example, do not follow cantonal borders and different procedures in the cantons have an inhibiting effect. “The federal government must provide impetus to accelerate transcantonal coordination. With a holistic view, the jammed interfaces should be identified and solutions should be shown by involving the various stakeholders across the various institutions.”
The positive vote is a welcome development, particularly in the context of the Federal Council previously rejecting the postulate. “In my opinion, this was a misjudgment by the Federal Council. The National Council has now made the right decision with foresight. In addition to water, solar and wind energy, we also need more renewable base energy. Geothermal energy can provide this,” added Christ.
“The National Council has recognised that geothermal energy must now be moved forward consistently and in a coordinated manner, and that this renewable base energy must be integrated in addition to sun, water and wind ,” says Barbara Schwickert, President of Geothermal Switzerland.
Source: Geothermie Schweiz and the Swiss Parliament
The post Federal Council votes in favor of geothermal roadmap for Switzerland first appeared on ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News.