Pretty Porous

Deep vs. Shallow geothermal energy

The temperature of the groundwater and the underground rocks increases in average by 3°C per 100 m depth. The temperature is therefore higher than the average ambient temperature, which is about 10°C in Germany.

Average ambient temperature + depth x 3 °C

At a depth of 2 km the temperature is already between 70 and 80 °C.

How does geothermal energy come to the surface?

Using groundwater for heating or for cooling requires appropriate technical systems. Production of geothermal energy up to a depth of 400 m is referred to as shallow geothermal energy while in greater depths it is denoted as deep geothermal energy.