Oct 30, 2025
OMV obtains a geothermal exploration permit close to Bremen.
The State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG) in Lower Saxony has granted three licenses to the Austrian gas and energy company OMV for exploring deep geothermal resources in Bremen and the nearby Delmenhorst area. Bremen is a city-state in Germany and one of Northern Germany's largest cities. This license allows OMV to commence geothermal exploration immediately under standard mining law, without the need for additional regulatory approvals that other urban licenses require.
The Delmenhorst license is one of OMV's simplest geothermal initiatives to date and serves as a strategic entry point into the heating market in northern Germany.
This license grant aligns with updates to OMV’s geothermal strategy presented during its Capital Markets Day in early October 2025. In Vienna, OMV, in collaboration with Wien Energie, has completed drilling for a 20 MW pilot plant, currently undergoing production testing, with operations expected to begin in 2028. A second phase with a 60 MW capacity is planned for drilling in 2026 and is set to start in 2030. Ultimately, OMV aims to increase geothermal capacity in Vienna to 200 MW, potentially providing heat to around 200,000 households, which constitutes about half of the homes connected to the city’s district heating system.
Additionally, OMV is working with closed-loop technology provider Eavor on a geothermal power project in Geretsried, Germany, which is now in the commercial viability testing phase, targeting electricity production by 2025. The two firms have established an exclusive strategic partnership, and OMV is exploring similar projects in other cities in Germany and Romania for scalable closed-loop geothermal development.
In total, OMV plans to invest around EUR 700 million in geothermal projects between 2026 and 2030, aiming for a net production output of about 1 TWh by 2030 with an anticipated internal rate of return (IRR) of at least 10 percent.
The Delmenhorst license strengthens OMV's presence in northern Germany, a region with ambitious decarbonization goals and growing interest in renewable heating. OMV's ability to move forward without delays provides a pathway for rapid resource confirmation and future project development in collaboration with local stakeholders.
The Delmenhorst license is one of OMV's simplest geothermal initiatives to date and serves as a strategic entry point into the heating market in northern Germany.
This license grant aligns with updates to OMV’s geothermal strategy presented during its Capital Markets Day in early October 2025. In Vienna, OMV, in collaboration with Wien Energie, has completed drilling for a 20 MW pilot plant, currently undergoing production testing, with operations expected to begin in 2028. A second phase with a 60 MW capacity is planned for drilling in 2026 and is set to start in 2030. Ultimately, OMV aims to increase geothermal capacity in Vienna to 200 MW, potentially providing heat to around 200,000 households, which constitutes about half of the homes connected to the city’s district heating system.
Additionally, OMV is working with closed-loop technology provider Eavor on a geothermal power project in Geretsried, Germany, which is now in the commercial viability testing phase, targeting electricity production by 2025. The two firms have established an exclusive strategic partnership, and OMV is exploring similar projects in other cities in Germany and Romania for scalable closed-loop geothermal development.
In total, OMV plans to invest around EUR 700 million in geothermal projects between 2026 and 2030, aiming for a net production output of about 1 TWh by 2030 with an anticipated internal rate of return (IRR) of at least 10 percent.
The Delmenhorst license strengthens OMV's presence in northern Germany, a region with ambitious decarbonization goals and growing interest in renewable heating. OMV's ability to move forward without delays provides a pathway for rapid resource confirmation and future project development in collaboration with local stakeholders.