Feasibility study for geothermal heating to proceed in Wuppertal, Germany
The feasibility of geothermal heating in Wuppertal, Germany will be evaluated through a joint effort by Fraunhofer IEG and Wuppertal Stadtwerke.
A feasibility study on the use of geothermal energy for heating is being done in the city of Wuppertal in North Rhine-Westphalia through the continuing collaboration between local utility Wuppertal Stadtwerke (WSW) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies (Fraunhofer IEG).
Results of the study are expected by the end of 2026. The feasibility study is being funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
“The feasibility study serves as a basis for our decision on whether and how we can pursue our project further. Many technical and economic questions remain open,” said Dominik Pröpper, Head of Electricity and District Heating Generation at WSW Energie & Wasser AG. “If the conditions for economically viable use are met, deep geothermal energy can be a pioneering building block for a secure and climate-friendly heat supply in Wuppertal.”
The current feasibility study is being complemented by efforts done in the past years to evaluate the geothermal potential in Wuppertal. In 2024, WSW received permission from the Arnsberg district government to explore for geothermal energy for commercial purposes. The joint investigation between WSW and Fraunhofer IEG based on existing geological data indicated that Devonion-era limestone layers at about 2000 meters depth could be a potential reservoir for geothermal fluids.
Further, seismic campaigns were done in the northern edge of the Wuppertal city area within the framework of the NRW Geothermal Energy Master Plan. The resulting datasets help to create regional geological models that are relevant for both municipal heat planning and further projects.
The aim of the current study is to establish the foundation for possible future measures to develop deep geothermal sources. These measures include exploratory drilling and, if necessary, further seismic surveys.
“Our 2023 analysis showed potential in the northern and northeastern parts of Wuppertal. We are now examining how this potential can be reliably developed. At the same time, we are considering what further exploratory measures are necessary to efficiently utilize geothermal energy in Wuppertal,” said Laureen Benoit, project manager at Fraunhofer IEG.
Source: Fraunhofer IEG