Geneva geothermal project achieves success in drilling and new funding

Geneva geothermal project achieves success in drilling and new funding

July 21, 2020 0 By Bret Williams

The SIG drilling has reported success and has received €25.3 million in new government funds.

The SIG Geneva geothermal project has reported successful drilling results in Switzerland and is now receiving €25.3 million from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).

SIG is a local utility in the city in Switzerland and recently announced its drilling successes.

The new funds for the Geneva geothermal project are meant to be directed toward further development. This includes an exploratory program. The grant is for the establishment of the exploration method and to learn the GEothermie 2020 program, which has been renamed GEothermies. It is in this context that the Lully exploratory drilling has deemed itself successful in delivering its initial results.

The State of Geneva piloted the GEothermies program which SIG has implemented. Its purpose is to map the area under the Geneva basin floor so that the best sites can be determined for exploration. In this way, it will open more doors for sources of local, clean and renewable energy. It can then establish a framework favorable to the further development of geothermal.

The program is composed of a number of modules, which include medium-depth exploratory drilling as well as seismic data acquisition campaigns, all of which will benefit from the additional funding.

The GEothermies Geneva geothermal program takes the steps needed to develop this renewable energy.

“The GEothermies program lays the foundations for sustainable and controlled development of geothermal energy in Geneva,” explained State Councillor Antonio Hodgers, head of the territorial department. “Geothermal energy is a key element in the energy transition. By 2050, geothermal energy could cover 30% of the canton’s heat needs while respecting the environment.”

The GEothermies program exploration module involves a grant of 27.5 million Swiss francs (CHF). “This OFEN grant is a recognition of the method chosen by the State of Geneva and SIG, a method which consists in knowing the subsoil well before embarking on mining. We want to respect the environment to provide Genevans with this source of renewable energy, Geneva geothermal - Mountains in Switzerlandavailable under our feet 24 hours a day,” said SIG managing director Christian Brunier about its value to the Geneva geothermal project.

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