Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
161. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the timeline for completion of a policy on geothermal energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29451/23]
View answer162. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline work undertaken by his Department to map the Dublin city area for geothermal energy potential; when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29452/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.
Geothermal Energy holds the potential to deliver secure, reliable, cost-effective renewable energy to heat and cool buildings, provide heat for industrial processes, and potentially generate power. Geothermal energy is “the heat beneath our feet” and has a significant role to play in how we decarbonise our energy systems, in particular our heat sector.
My Department is in the process of finalising a Policy Statement on geothermal energy which will summarise the proposed regulatory approach as well as the scope of a strategy to develop the geothermal energy sector. It is anticipated that the Statement will be submitted to the Government for its approval in the near future.
The Policy Statement will be effective for five years from 2023 to 2027 and its delivery will be assessed in relation to and determined by available resources and within the context of the regulatory framework. My Department will discuss the implementation of this policy statement at regular intervals with the Geothermal Energy Advisory Group. Following the adoption of the Statement, my Department will consult the Advisory Group in preparing a strategy for the greater deployment of geothermal energy in support of our climate goals and will take a strategic approach suited to the various types of geothermal systems.
My Department (Geological Survey Ireland, GSI), has also been involved in activities to better understand the geothermal energy potential in Dublin city, including drilling a 1 km bore hole in Grangegorman, and measuring a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, a promising result, at the base of the hole. A similar bore hole project is currently underway in Tallaght. The Department has also carried out costing exercises to calculate the current economics of deep geothermal energy projects in Dublin city. To encourage further development, a city-wide geophysical survey will be needed to close the knowledge gaps, as well as full-scale demonstration projects at key public buildings.
The Deputy may find useful the information contained in the following link, www.gsi.ie/en-ie/programmes-and-projects/geothermal/Pages/default.aspx, and in particular the 2020 report Geothermal Energy for District Heating, www.gsi.ie/en-ie/publications/Pages/Geothermal-Energy-for-District-Heating-in-Ireland.aspx, which was prepared by my Department under the Geothermal Programme. That Programme is working to quantify Ireland’s geothermal resources and to develop a National Geothermal Database of high-quality geothermal data. It has information available for home and business owners interested in geothermal energy, including geothermal suitability maps indicating which type of ground source heat collector is most compatible with the geology beneath specific sites.
