Policy Statement on Geothermal Energy for a Circular Economy
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
Geothermal energy is the heat beneath the surface of solid earth. It can be stored heat from the sun, or heat from the Earth’s core. In general, the temperature of the earth in Ireland (and the amount of available geothermal energy) increases with depth, at an average gradient of 25 – 30°C per kilometre. Geothermal energy is not only renewable, it is also secure, reliable, and local.
Geothermal energy has been used for a very long time in volcanic regions such as in Iceland, Italy and New Zealand. Advances in technology mean that geothermal energy can now be used in Ireland for heating and cooling buildings, and possibly even to produce electricity. Geothermal energy is now being used in non-volcanic countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Germany.
The Government’s policy to increase the deployment of geothermal energy is set out in the Policy Statement on Geothermal Energy for a Circular Economy.
The Policy Statement, which will be effective for five years (from 2023 – 2028), sets out: