Project developer EnergeÔ has officially announced that the geothermal drilling project in Vinzel in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland will be permanently abandoned for economic reasons. Considering current efforts by the Canton, EnergeÔ plans to proposed alternative exploratory drilling sites.
The site at Vinzel had been identified as having a high potential for geothermal after a three-week seismic survey across 30 municipalities in the Nyon and Morges districts. Drilling of the exploratory Vinzel-1 geothermal well started in late 2022. The original well had been found to have non-commercial pressure, prompting a drilling of a sidetrack well. However, the results of the sidetrack well were also below expectations with a maximum measured temperature of only 33 °C.
Further development is not economically viable
Further development of the geothermal well was deemed financially unviable. Another factor contributing to this decision was the presence of the Gland data center located just 2.5 kilometers away. One of the largest IT infrastructures in Switzerland, the data center produces heat at a similar temperature. Utilizing the Vinzel well would require drilling a reinjection well and the construction of a pipeline between Vinzel and Gland.
Other potential uses have been considered: utilizing the water in single-well wells for irrigation, greenhouse heating, thermal baths, or even electricity generation thanks to the significant artesian flow. These would still require substantial investment to restart production trials and do detailed studies on the water chemistry.
Another option that was explored was for the Canton of Vaud to purchase the well. However, a feasibility study done by the Canton indicated that the necessary investment was disproportionate to the heating potential and that the the business lacked any guarantee of profitability.
Further possibilities for geothermal in Vaud
Despite the abandonment of the Vinzel project, it allowed EnergeÔ to acquire expertise to better plan for other geothermal projects in the region. The geothermal well in Vinzel also confirms that there is geothermal potential in the La Cote region.
Based on 3D geophysical surveys done in 2024 to 2025, EnergeÔ plans to propose new exploratory drilling sites. The Nyon area has been identified as the first particularly interesting and suitable location for such drilling. The results for the Aubonne, Etoy, and Morges regions are still being refined, but initial findings suggest that the geothermal potential is also significant. A call for projects announced by the Canton of Vaud earlier this year will make it possible for EnergeÔ to propose exploratory drilling in these areas.
Source: EnergeÔ
