Efficient thermal use of groundwater for a decentralised urban heating and cooling supply

The main objective of GEO.KW is improving the efficiency of thermal groundwater use in urban environments. The management of this resource will be enhanced by the development of a flexible tool for planning and optimisation. Thus, the urban-specific demand for heating and cooling can fully benefit from the dynamics and the storage capacity of the thermal resource groundwater. As a result, it will be possible to cover an increased share of heating and cooling with renewable energy and to reduce primary energy consumption. Particularly the substitution of conventional cooling applications by free-cooling with groundwater will contribute to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The project’s objective will be achieved by linking detailed transient simulations of groundwater flow and heat transport to a strategic tool for application design. Through this integrated approach, synergies will be highlighted and conservation of energy will be maximised. The elaborated tools will be applied and tested in the case study of Munich, but will also be available for similar urban areas after modification.

The GEO.KW Project (2018 - 2022), is financed by the Federal Ministry for economic affairs and energy (BMWi) with the “Chair of Hydrogeology - Technical University of Munich (TUM)” as lead partner.