Geothermal energy for KIT Campus

It’s hot beneath KIT’s Campus North. At a depth of only three kilometers, the temperature is about 170°C. The GECKO project investigates how this potential can be used for the transition of the heating sector while also considering societal concerns.
Geothermie für KIT-Campus
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In order to contribute to the transition of the heating sector in Baden-Württemberg, researchers from natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences work together in the GECKO project. “Using the example of geothermal energy, we want to try a new path for planning infrastructures for the use of renewable energies,” explains Christine Rösch, head of the ITAS project team. According to her, it is of particular importance to better meet society’s demand for transparency and co-determination.

Close cooperation with citizens

Together with the Oeko-Institut Freiburg, ITAS wants to organize workshops with citizens and representatives from politics, economy, and administration. These events serve to analyze the ideas, concerns, and hopes associated with geothermal energy and to develop criteria and scenarios for its use. The knowledge thus obtained should then be integrated into the utilization concept for geothermal energy at the KIT Campus North.

GECKO is funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg. The KIT Institute for Nuclear Disposal (INE) is in charge of the project. The project name GECKO refers to the German “Nutzung der GEothermie für eine klimaneutrale Wärmeversorgung am KIT (Campus Nord) – inter- und transdisziplinäres Co-Design eines UmsetzungsKOnzepts“ (Use of geothermal energy for climate-neutral heat supply at KIT (Campus North) – inter- and transdisciplinary co-design of an implementation concept) (02.07.2020)

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