Geothermal Breakthrough in Bavaria: Naturwärme Kirchweidach-Halsbach Achieves Thermal Water Success

Naturwärme Kirchweidach-Halsbach GmbH & Co. KG has reported a breakthrough in its geothermal project near the Waldweinacht site in Halsbach, Bavaria. After months of drilling and testing, the company has confirmed the successful production of thermal water with a scorching temperature exceeding 107°C and an impressive flow rate exceeding 100 liters per second. This achievement follows a series of challenges encountered during the drilling process that commenced in January 2023. Initially targeting a depth of 3500 meters, the project reached this depth in May 2023. However, tests revealed that the flow rate of the well was insufficient to support commercial operations, despite the desirable temperature of 125°C. Consequently, a strategic decision was made to drill a sidetrack well into a different pre-defined target, which also did not yield the anticipated commercial results. Undeterred by setbacks, the project team embarked on extensive evaluation and analysis of drilling data. Their persistence bore fruit with the successful drilling of a second sidetrack well, this time targeting the Hochscholle region of the Malm aquifer. This achievement marked a turning point, with the measured drilling depth reaching 4750 meters at a total depth of 3050 meters. The next phase of the project will involve the drilling of a reinjection borehole, with the two wells situated just 10 meters apart at the surface. However, underground, they will be strategically spaced approximately 1 kilometer apart to prevent thermal breakthrough. Naturwärme Kirchweidach-Halsbach GmbH & Co. KG was established as a collaborative effort between Präzisionsbau Steiner, Biohof Kirchweidach, and the municipality of Kirchweidach. The overarching goal of this geothermal initiative is to supply heat to the greenhouses of both partnering companies and the municipal district heating network. Kirchweidach is no stranger to geothermal projects, as it previously hosted the inaugural Kirchweidach geothermal endeavor in 2013. Initially focused on greenhouse heating operations, this project evolved over the years to include geothermal power generation through modular power units in 2019 and the integration of a 4-MW binary system in 2020. As Naturwärme Kirchweidach-Halsbach celebrates this latest milestone, it marks a promising step forward in harnessing the Earth's natural heat for sustainable energy solutions. The successful drilling of the geothermal borehole brings new hope to the renewable energy landscape, and the future looks bright for this innovative project in Halsbach, Bavaria.