RWE Power has officially commenced drilling for the first exploratory borehole for deep geothermal energy at the Weisweiler lignite-fired power plant in Eschweiler, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. This pioneering endeavor is part of the Interreg research project known as the “Roll-out of Deep Geothermal Energy in North-West Europe” or DGE-ROLLOUT.
Managing the geothermal research project at Weisweiler is the Geological Service NRW, collaborating with partners such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Energy (IEG) and RWE Power. The groundwork for this collaboration was laid back in 2021, with plans for drilling being unveiled earlier this year.
The initial exploratory borehole is slated to delve to a depth of 100 meters. Once the drilling phase concludes, Fraunhofer IEG will undertake a technical evaluation, subsequently transforming the borehole into a seismological observatory. This development effectively integrates the borehole into a broader network of monitoring stations dedicated to scrutinizing the deep subsurface within the Weisweiler region.
A follow-up endeavor is already in the pipeline, with a second exploratory borehole set to be drilled to a depth of approximately 500 meters early next year, adjacent to the first. Fraunhofer will install a geothermal probe within this borehole, bolstering the capabilities of the observatory. Data gathered from both exploration wells is poised to yield invaluable insights into the region's subsurface composition. These findings will pave the way for further deep exploratory drilling efforts under the auspices of Fraunhofer IEG.
Dr. Lars Kulik, a board member of RWE Power, highlighted the transformative potential of this initiative: “District heating from thermal water – that would be a technologically new component of the energy transition for our region. A district heating pipeline runs from the Weisweiler site to Aachen. If regeneratively generated district heating flows through them one day, like our wind power and solar projects here in the district, it will be another tangible contribution from RWE to regional structural change.”
As RWE Power embarks on this pioneering geothermal journey, it brings the promise of cleaner, sustainable energy sources a step closer to reality in North Rhine-Westphalia and the wider European context.
