Activities of Seán KELLY related to 2023/2111(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Geothermal energy (debate)
Amendments (78)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Amending Regulations (EU) 2019/943 and (EU) 2019/942 as well as Directives (EU) 2018/2001 and (EU) 2019/944 to improve the Union’s electricity market design1a, _________________ 1a COM(2023)0148 – C9-0049/2023 – 2023/0077(COD)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 10 July 2020 on a comprehensive European approach to energy storage2a and the Commission recommendation of 14 March 2023 on Energy Storage – Underpinning a decarbonised and secure EU energy system (2023/C 103/01)3a _________________ 2a Texts adopted_P9_TA(2020)0198 3a OJ C 103, 20.3.2023, p. 1–5
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on access to decent and affordable housing for all2a. _________________ 2a Text adopted, P9_TA(2021)0020
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
– having regard to the Commission Communication of 14 October 2020 on A Renovation Wave for Europe - greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives3a. _________________ 3a COM(2020)789 final
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas buildings account for 40 % of final energy consumption in the EU and 36 % of its energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and whereas 75 % of EU buildings are still energy inefficient
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the industry estimates that geothermal can supply more than 275 % of the heating and cooling consumed in Europe and over 105 % of its electrical power by 2040;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. Whereas underground thermal energy storage requires the smallest land coverage and represents the most cost- effective method for thermal energy storage, it can also serve as a viable option for long-duration electrical storage, provided that sufficient support is extended to facilitate the commercial demonstration of such projects.
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas geothermal energy represents a local, renewable, and constantly available energy source, with the highest capacity factor among renewable sources as well as low and predictable running costs;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas geothermal installations do not require critical raw materials to the extent of other renewable technologies and typically requires much less land and is therefore easily integrated into the landscape and cityscape with most of the installation located subsurface;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas adequate and comprehensive policy conditions and frameworks are still missing at both the national and EU level to boost the development and use of geothermal energy in Europe;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas underground thermal energy storage has the least land footprint and is the most cost-effective means of thermal energy storage, which can also provide long-duration electrical storage, if adequate support to commercially demonstrate such projects is provided;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1 Notes the substantial potential of geothermal heat for industrial processes, in particular for low to medium energy intensive processes (below 200 degrees), which represents as much as half of industry production in Europe; stresses, in this regard, that developing the use of geothermal heat for this purpose will increase the competitiveness of European companies by providing a reliable and affordable source of heat supply;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that geothermal energy has the potential to significantly contribute to the achievement of some of the EU’s most strategic goals, including reaching climate targets by decarbonising carbon-intensive sectors, and bolstering the EU’s strategic autonomy by strengthening energy security needs, reducing fossil-fuel dependencies on unreliable third countries, such as Russia, increasing the competitiveness of European industries and empowering consumers thanks to affordable and reliable heat and electricity supply;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Underlines the potential of geothermal energy to make a substantial contribution to attaining key strategic objectives within the EU, particularly in the context of meeting climate targets by decarbonising sectors with high carbon intensity;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Highlights that the need and potential for district heating is the highest in Northern and Central Eastern Europe and, conversely, the needs and potential for district cooling is the highest in Southern Europe; notes, further, that the need and potential for district cooling around the world, including in Europe, is likely to increase in the future as warmer temperatures and heatwaves are expected to become more frequent as a direct consequence of climate change; notes, in this regard, that some countries in the Middle East are already establishing contacts with relevant European companies and experts to import cooling technologies and knowledge for their domestic markets;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Emphasises that the primary opportunity for harnessing geothermal energy in the EU is predominantly found in district heating and cooling systems and networks of shallow geothermal installations.
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Underlines the high potential of geothermal heat in domestic food production, in particular for the production of agricultural products, horticulture, and aquaculture; notes, however, that these sectors are currently dependent on fossil fuels for their production and emit large amount of greenhouse gas emissions; underlines, therefore, that the use of geothermal heat will contribute to decarbonise these sectors while reducing production costs as well as high energy costs and price volatility for farmers;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Highlights that the heating and cooling sector constitutes nearly half of the EU's overall final energy consumption and contributes as much as 35 % to the EU's greenhouse gas emissions related to energy use; Underscores the significant role geothermal energy can play in helping the EU achieve its climate targets, especially in the process of decarbonising the heating and cooling sector;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Stresses that the greatest potential of geothermal energy use in the EU lies in district heating and cooling systems and networks of shallow geothermal installations; recalls, in this regard, that the heating and cooling sector accounts for almost 50% of the EU's total final energy consumption and as much as 35% of the energy-related EU’s greenhouse gas emissions; underlines, therefore, that geothermal energy can play an important role in the achievement of EU’s climate targets, notably in the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector; urges the Commission and Member States to create strong incentives for modernising and expanding district heating and cooling networks as well as creating new incentives that favours 4th to 5th generation heating and cooling systems as much as possible; notes that this would support the creation of municipal heating plans and national energy and climate plans, as required by the Energy Efficiency Directive;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Considers that geothermal energy should be taken into account when designating the geographical location of Net-Zero Industry Valleys as part of the Net-Zero Industry Act, in such a way that the Valleys should possibly be located in regions with geothermal energy potential, thanks to the constant, cheap, and renewable energy supply that it can provide;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the development of geothermal beyond power generation and heating and cooling; stresses that the process of extracting lithium from geothermal brines could help secure a sustainable and local lithium supplyStresses that the process of extracting lithium from geothermal brines could help secure a sustainable and local lithium supply; notes, in this regard, that facilities that extract both geothermal energy and raw materials (such as lithium) have a higher impact on job creation than traditional geothermal plants as well as increase the attractiveness of the region in which the operations take place;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that geothermal energy represent an important alternative to replace Russian gas in the existing district heating system in Ukraine; calls, therefore, on the Commission to favour geothermal energy to support the safe and sustainable reconstruction of the country;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Recognises that the potential of geothermal energy has so far largely been untapped, in part due to social barriers, such as the lack of awareness and knowledge among policymakers, local authorities, financial institutions, and the general public;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Draws attention to geothermal storage solutions that are able to store excess wind and solar power for subsequent use in heating, cooling and power production, and their crucial role for the development of renewable-based energy systems; stresses, in this regard, that abandoned coal mines and aquifers are especially well suited for large-scale seasonal thermal storage or long duration electrical storage; notes the need to support the commercial development of aquifer storage and long-duration electrical storage through the EU’s Innovation Fund and provide market frameworks to incentivise seasonal thermal storage at an industrial scale in Europe; underlines, overall, the potential of geothermal energy for grid balancing due to its high capacity factor, flexibility of supply and dispatchable potential;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recognises that the current context marked by Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine, the fight against climate change, and the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with its subsequent disruptions of supply chains, have clearly showed the need to boost the development and use of geothermal energy across the EU;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2 a (new)
Subheading 2 a (new)
Notes that high-quality data and figures lead to favourable political support and help setting ambitious energy targets;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission to prepare an Europe Geothermal Strategy to meet the target to triple geothermal capacity by 2030 and beyond, as announced in the REPowerEU plan; notes, further, that the purpose of the strategy should be to ensure the establishment of adequate regulatory frameworks for all forms of geothermal energy;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the Commission to prepare a comprehensive study that will assess the potential of geothermal energy in the shallow, medium, deep, and ultra deep subsurface across all 27 Member States; notes that this study should help identify the potential of geothermal energy for various uses, including but not limited to, district heating, cooling, industrial processes, food production, heat pumps, electricity generation, renewable hydrogen and lithium production; notes that this study should also assess the impact of developing geothermal energy on the decarbonisation of the economy, job creation, competitiveness, empowering of consumers, and cost-effectiveness compared to other energy sources;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Calls on the Commission to prepare a study that will identify the obstacles for the development of geothermal projects, including cross- borders issues and provide a guide on best practices of geothermal energy use in the EU for national and local authorities, project developers, and financial institutions;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the growing awareness of and support for geothermal at national level; notes that some Member States have developed geothermal roadmaps, targets and dedicated policy measurconsiders that the national initiatives launched by Poland (Multi-year Program for the Development of the Use of Geothermal Resources in Poland - 2022), France (National Action Plan on Geothermal Energy - 2023), and Germany (The German Geothermal Energy Strategy 2022) includes concrete, relevant, and practical policy initiatives that could be applied in other Member States; stresses the need to facilitate the exchange of information about these measures and data to support geothermal policies; considers that this can be achieved through the establishment of a ‘geothermal alliance’alls on the Commission to create a ‘geothermal alliance’ to achieve this objective;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Expresses concern about a notable deficiency of well-qualified individuals across the entire value chain, underscores the growing demand for a proficient workforce in the future, and thus emphasises the urgent necessity for substantial investments in the training and retraining of the workforce within the geothermal sector;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission to develop a framework to incentivise 4th and 5th generation geothermal heating and cooling networks;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Recalls Member states to set an indicative target for innovative renewable energy technology of at least 5 % of new installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, for the implementation of the Strategic Research and Innovation agenda of the European technology and Innovation platform on geothermal and the Implementation Plan of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET- Plan) implementation Working Group on geothermal;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Acknowledges the value of the expertise and background of professionals currently employed in the oil and gas service industry for the geothermal sector;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the Member States to explore methods of collecting different types of geological data from public and private entities with a view to organising, systematising and makCalls on the Commission and Member States to consider making privately-owned data (such as from oil, gas, mining, and third party consultancy companies) available and free within a specific time frame (such as within two years) and a shorter timeframe for publicly funded data (such as one year) for project developers; notes in this regard, that the work carried out by the Norwegian government in the handling of data from offshore activities to be a valuable example; stresses that, given the importance of data accessibility for the development of the sector, the inclusion of fines in case of non-respect of data sharing wit available to the public; notes that thishin the specified deadlines should be considered; underlines that the data sharing should be achieved in compliance with confidentiality requirements and data protection rules, and, where necessary, include incentives and compensation for data sharing by private entitiesincluding copy rights and protection of know-how;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes that one of the major challenges for the fast deployment of geothermal energy is the lack of access to already existing geological data due to high costs, lack of transparency, and fragmented data sharing policies across Member States; underlines, further, that this lack of data access prevents scientists from creating geological models that are essential to predict the potential and yield of geothermal energy in a given subsurface area and are thus crucial in reducing uncertainty for project developers;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Urges, therefore, the Commission to adopt a legal framework that makes the collection and sharing of geological data (including from decommissioned oil, gas, and coal wells) mandatory, free, easily accessible, and located in a centralised portal at the EU level;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Stresses that the assessment of deployment of geothermal energy in Europe is very difficult due to the lack of standards for industry data reporting; calls, therefore, on the Commission to consider creating standards for industry data reporting in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, including industries, research institutes, universities; notes that accessible and standardised data will significantly improve the use of cross border data and the possibility to use different AI machine learning systems on this standardised data;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8d. Highlights the importance of making data available from existing district heating networks, including the level of modernisation and heat demand, to geothermal stakeholders across Europe; underscores that this data is crucial to evaluate the potential of a region and engage with local authorities throughout the initial stages of a project;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that forin areas with insufficient subsurface data, governments can play a role in funding geothermal resource mapping and exploratory drilling; calls, therefore, on the Member States with insufficient subsurface data to finance resource mapping and exploration drilling, especially for SMEs, to establish geothermal potential; notes that this should include subsurface data up to 200 meters in the short-term and data up to 400 meters in the medium- term; welcomes the fact that some Member States have already taken steps in this direction; calls for EU funding to support this data collection with a view to creating an EU-of expanding and strengthening the work of the EU funded project EGDI, which aims to create a EU wide atlas of geothermal potentialresource;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises the geothermal potential of repurposed inactive oil and gas wells to reduce dependencies on imports of Russian gas (such as LNG) and fight against climate change; calls on the Member States, in cooperation with oil and gas, gas, and mining companies, to produce publicly available maps of decommissioned wells with their specifications;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on Member States to include geothermal exploration when conducting their national programme for general exploration of critical raw materials as part of the Critical Raw Materials Act; asks that any data feeding from this exploration programme to be added to the EU-wide geological database;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates that uncertainty about subsurface resources makes it challenging to secure project funding; stresses that the initial project phase, such as the exploration and construction phase, require a significant amount of investment and major entrepreneurial risks hindering investments; calls on the Member States to explore de-risking solutions appropriate to the maturity of their local markets (free and accessible geological data, grants, loans that are convertible to grants, state-backed guarantees), as well as the potential benefits of an EU-wide risk mitigation scheme; notes, in this regard, that an EU risk mitigation scheme would be particularly useful for the least mature markets in the geothermal sector;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Notes that investment in research and development of geothermal energy has been completely underfunded in relation to other sectors; calls, therefore, on the Commission to support investments in R&D for market deployment, commercial-scale development of aquifer and other underground storage technologies, development of reliable pump technology, new drilling techniques, business model innovation to reduce high capital costs;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Calls on the Commission to introduce a European financial risk insurance scheme, where such schemes are not provided by Member States, to provide coverage to local authorities, social housing providers, public authorities, businesses, and project developers to facilitate the use of cost- effective geothermal energy and ensure the projects' viability and stability; notes that this scheme could be extended to neighbouring countries to accelerate their green energy transition;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Expresses concern that while geothermal heat pumps (GHPs)lants, including geothermal heat pumps, are currently the most efficient heat pumpstechnology, producing more heat for less electricity in cold climates compared to air source heat pumps, their much higher upfront drilling and installation costs tend to discourage their selection; calls on the Member States to explore possible financial incentives to bridge this gap, including based on the pay-as-you-save principle;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission to take appropriate steps to ensure that geothermal projects are better taken into account when using existing funds and instruments; asks the Commission to consider setting up a dedicated geothermal fund or to dedicate resources under existing funds to geothermal projects, especially to support innovative technologies such as, but not limited to, closed-loop technology that has the potential to harness geothermal energy in formerly inaccessible areas, and geothermal storages for waste heat utilization and installation; notes the importance of facilitating access to capital for innovative companies in the geothermal sector, especially SMEs;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission to gather all funding opportunities in a centralised portal to inform and give clarity to relevant stakeholders, especially SMEs;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Calls on the Modernisation Fund to prioritise projects using geothermal resources into existing or refurbished central heating systems and the establishment of new geothermal heating and cooling networks;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Given the ongoing energy crisis, stresses that projects seeking to modernise heating systems that are approved or already in advanced stages of the approval process, should be be able to include geothermal energy without additional changes to their original project submissions;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Calls for investments supported by the Modernisation Fund, which support the conversation of exiting district heating systems from coal to gas, to always consider the potential for geothermal energy to be supplied into such systems;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that the requirements of mining laws designed for large-scale miningdeep geothermal projects are difficult to uphold in much smaller-scale geothermal projects; calls on the Member States to review and simplify existing mining laws, where necessary, or to develop dedicated permitting rules for geothermal; asks the Commission to provide guidelines to ensure the requisite level of coherencenotes that different mining laws apply in each Member State, which creates confusion and delays for project developers; calls on the Member States to harmonise mining law at the EU level by reviewing and simplifying existing legislations; asks the Commission to provide guidelines to ensure the requisite level of coherence, similar to the approach taken in for the regulatory framework supporting the storage of CO2 (2009/31/EC);
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the Commission to grant geothermal and solar thermal, a similar exemption from EU procurement regulations as the one already in place for renewable electricity generation;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that permits for geothermal installations must be made extensible and flexible to cover the extraction of lithium or the production of hydrogen from existing capacity under the same lease; recalls that the EU's REPowerEU plan has a production target of 10 million tons of clean hydrogen by 2030 along with 10 million tons of imported clean hydrogen; asks, therefore, the Commission to explore the potential of geothermal energy to contribute to these objectives;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Notes that the current administrative procedures to apply for geothermal projects is characterised by delays, fragmented information, and shortage of skilled workforce and resources; calls, therefore, on the Commission and Member States to fast- track and simplify the permitting of geothermal projects, including via the creation of a 'one-stop-shop' for all geothermal projects in each Member States and to increase support for local authorities with adequate skilled workforce, training, and resources available to assess projects; notes, in this regard, that the inclusion of deadlines for projects assessment should be based on tacit approval; notes, further, that all administrative procedures should be received or emitted digitally in every Member States;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Observes that the current administrative processes for initiating geothermal projects are marred by delays, fragmented information, and a scarcity of qualified personnel and resources; Urges both the Commission and Member States to expedite and simplify the permitting of geothermal projects;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Notes that developers of geothermal projects face a fierce competition, notably with real estate developers, when accessing suitable land for future projects in or nearby urban areas; calls, therefore, on the Commission to include a legal instruction to Distribution System Operators, whose role is to plan, invest and manage heat and electricity systems, to jointly work with local authorities to produce local heat and cold plans centred on geothermal as a matter of overriding public interest in order to preserve suitable land in urban areas for geothermal projects; stresses, further, that this would aid the effective implementation of the Heat and Cold planning requirement outlined in the revised Energy Efficiency Directive and is based on the best practices across the EU where local authorities have successfully converted to renewable heating and cooling systems;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Calls for the setting project assessment deadlines should be rooted in tacit approval principles;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Is concerned by the multiple entries for geothermal in the Regulation ((EU) 2020/852) establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment; calls, therefore, on the Commission to review the classification of geothermal energy applications in the taxonomy provisions, in particular by removing the lifecycle CO2 emission criteria which is applied to geothermal and no other renewable sources, as this undermines access to private capital and negatively impacts the significant potential of geothermal energy to the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Calls on the Commission to promote EU manufacturing capacity of geothermal energy technologies, including via fast-tracking permitting processes for the expansion of facilities and creating adequate fiscal incentives;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16e. Underlines that when designing two-way contracts for difference for geothermal electricity projects, Member States shall incorporate, where appropriate, non-price services such as system adequacy; grid stability; storage, flexibility options; as well as the supply of renewable heating; cooling; the sustainable critical raw material extraction; as well as the real time costs of materials and labour into strike prices; notes that concessions for tenders shall be for the lifetime of the capacity;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6
Subheading 6
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses that while the EU is the leader in geothermal research and development, high-value patents, scientific publications and manufacturing, support measures for next-generation geothermal technologies are needed at European and national level in order to support this position, particularly in geothermal storage and industrial applications;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Recognises that underground thermal storage, especially in connection with the use of geothermal sources, could represent an innovative tool in non- urbanised and industrial areas; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support research and development for these solutions and to implement large- scale pilot plants;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Points out that most Member States have not yet implemented the 2009 provision of the Directive 98/70/EC as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and calls, therefore, on Member States to ensure that third- party certification schemes are available for installers and drillers of small-scale shallow geothermal systems and heat pumps to guarantee that installations are carried out safely, efficiently, and in compliance with relevant regulations;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7 a (new)
Subheading 7 a (new)
Workforce, training and skills
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7 b (new)
Subheading 7 b (new)
Is concerned that there is a significant shortage of qualified professionals throughout the entire value chain; highlights that the need for a skilled workforce will further increase in the future; stresses, therefore, the need to invest urgently in skilling and reskilling the workforce for the geothermal sector;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7 c (new)
Subheading 7 c (new)
Notes that the skills and experience of professionals working in the oil and gas service industry is extremely valuable for the geothermal sector; stresses, therefore, the need to attract and support this relevant workforce to the geothermal sector, including by the creation of incentives and training programmes;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7 d (new)
Subheading 7 d (new)
Notes that only a limited number of university degrees are dedicated to geothermal energy, with a majority of them only covering basic skills, are short- time and voluntary; calls, therefore, on the need to adapt and strengthen the educational curriculums in engineering schools in each Member State by providing updated and quality degrees; calls on the Commission to consider the creation of specific training schools for geothermal and hydro engineers, notably via the Net-Zero Academies mentioned in the Net Zero Industry Act; underlines, overall, the need to raise awareness among students, university staff, and professors about the geothermal sector and its career opportunities;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Regrets that the potential of depletedrepurposing existing oil and gas wells in depleted, abandonded or end-of-life hydrocarbon reservoirs for geothermal applications is not being fully tapped;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Underlines the important role of geothermal heating in the just energy transition as a source of decarbonised heat for communities with district heating networks across the EU;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Draws attention to existing repurposing projects in decommissioned mines, where applied cavern thermal energy storage technology is able to provide heating or cooling; notes the development of projects which plan to use oil reservoirs for energy or CO2 storage; takes note of ongoing projects to repurpose decommissioned oil and gas wells for geothermal applications, thereby greatly reducing exploration risks and drilling costs;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Member States to make use of existing European funding opportunities to support the re-skilling of the workforce in transition areas, with a view to capitalising on the jobs arising from geothermal projects; notes that oil and gas industry skills can be applied to the geothermal sector;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls on the Just Transition Fund to incorporate the decommissioned oil and gas wells, as well as mining facilities, or conversion to geothermal heating, cooling or storage systems as a cost-effective and rapid way to accelerate the energy transition;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that public resistance remains a challenge for geothermal projects, particularly on the basis of environmental concerns such as the possible contamination ofinterference with ground waters, gasnon-condensable emissions or water over-exploitation; expresses the opinion that maintaining high environmental and transparency standards can serve as an efficient way of overcoming distrust;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Notes that public acceptance related to new geothermal installations can be improved by involving local communities in the planning and implementation phase; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to produce guidelines and best practices, in collaboration with the industry and Member States, on how to engage with local communities;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Emphasises the significance of global cooperation, which involves exchanging best practices and engaging in collaborative research and innovation concerning geothermal technologies with pertinent third-party nations and organisation;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Notes the importance of international collaboration, including the sharing of best practices and research and innovation on geothermal technologies, with relevant third countries and organisations; points out, in this regard, that the US and Japan established a cooperation agreement on geothermal energy; calls on the EU to develop similar agreements with its partners, such as but not limited to, Iceland, the US, the UK, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, and Kenya;