Mar 16, 2026
Work is in progress on a geothermal district heating project in Münster, Germany.
Drilling for geothermal probes is currently underway for a district heating system in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The initiative by local utility Stadtwerke Münster aims to provide geothermal heating and cooling to 500 residential units using a field of 102 probes, each reaching depths of about 250 meters.
Unlike most geothermal district heating projects in Germany, Münster is launching a “cold” district heating system. This approach utilizes shallow ground temperatures of up to 10 °C, which are not warm enough for direct heating. Consequently, heat pumps are required to enhance the temperature before the water is distributed to the buildings. In the summer, the system can also provide cooling by lowering indoor temperatures by several degrees Celsius. Overall, it is a renewable heat and cooling system that draws on local sources and does not rely on fossil fuels.
The geothermal probe field is being established at the new Albachten-Ost development and is anticipated to be finished by summer. Once operational, the initial heat supply will be directed to a newly constructed elementary school, for which the supply pipes have already been installed. A similar geothermal heating project is also being developed by Stadtwerke Münster in the Handorf-Kirschgarten area.
The local utility is investing approximately €8.5 million into the climate-neutral heating solution in Albachten-East, with 40% of the funds coming from a federal program aimed at supporting efficient heating networks (BEW).
Sebastian Jurczyk, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Münster, notes that the centralized heating option is slightly more economical than individual heating solutions. The company will manage all operational and technical aspects of the system; however, its commercial viability depends on a substantial number of connections to the network. Therefore, all future property owners in the development must enter a 25-year purchase agreement with the utility.
Münster has been keen on using geothermal energy for district heating since 2021, and in 2022, Stadtwerke Münster was among five municipal utility providers in North Rhine-Westphalia to join an “Alliance for Geothermal Energy.” By 2024, seismic surveys had been conducted in the city to assess the subsurface and identify a potential geothermal reservoir.
Unlike most geothermal district heating projects in Germany, Münster is launching a “cold” district heating system. This approach utilizes shallow ground temperatures of up to 10 °C, which are not warm enough for direct heating. Consequently, heat pumps are required to enhance the temperature before the water is distributed to the buildings. In the summer, the system can also provide cooling by lowering indoor temperatures by several degrees Celsius. Overall, it is a renewable heat and cooling system that draws on local sources and does not rely on fossil fuels.
The geothermal probe field is being established at the new Albachten-Ost development and is anticipated to be finished by summer. Once operational, the initial heat supply will be directed to a newly constructed elementary school, for which the supply pipes have already been installed. A similar geothermal heating project is also being developed by Stadtwerke Münster in the Handorf-Kirschgarten area.
The local utility is investing approximately €8.5 million into the climate-neutral heating solution in Albachten-East, with 40% of the funds coming from a federal program aimed at supporting efficient heating networks (BEW).
Sebastian Jurczyk, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Münster, notes that the centralized heating option is slightly more economical than individual heating solutions. The company will manage all operational and technical aspects of the system; however, its commercial viability depends on a substantial number of connections to the network. Therefore, all future property owners in the development must enter a 25-year purchase agreement with the utility.
Münster has been keen on using geothermal energy for district heating since 2021, and in 2022, Stadtwerke Münster was among five municipal utility providers in North Rhine-Westphalia to join an “Alliance for Geothermal Energy.” By 2024, seismic surveys had been conducted in the city to assess the subsurface and identify a potential geothermal reservoir.