Berlin, Germany Launches Geo4Berlin Deep Geothermal Exploration Project with Planned 1,950-Meter Well

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, Berliner Energie und Wärme GmbH (BEW) officially launched the Geo4Berlin deep geothermal exploration research project, planning to construct a geothermal exploration well approximately 1,950 meters deep at the Marzahn combined heat and power plant in Berlin to investigate the geothermal resource conditions of four hot-water-bearing formations. The project is implemented by BEW in collaboration with the Berlin state government and two German universities, with drilling planned to begin in the first quarter of 2028 and the goal of connecting geothermal heat to the city's district heating network in the early 2030s.

Geo4Berlin is jointly implemented by BEW, the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, TU Darmstadt, and the University of Göttingen. The four partner institutions held the official project launch event on October 29 at BEW's office in Südkreuz, Berlin. The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy under the eighth Energy Research Programme, with BEW's research sub-project funding numbers 03EXP4011A and 03EXP4011E.

The exploration well is sited within the existing premises of the Marzahn combined heat and power plant in northeastern Berlin. According to the exploration rights granting decision issued by the Berlin state government on October 19, BEW obtained the exploration use rights for the corresponding sub-area in the northeastern part of the "Erdwärme Berlin" geothermal exploration license area. The license area is divided into seven sub-areas, with the relevant use rights tender process launched in December 2025. The Marzahn project is the first in this license area to complete the granting of exploration use rights.

The Marzahn exploration well is planned to penetrate four potential hot-water-bearing formations, and the research work will include core drilling, hydraulic testing, and determination of subsurface thermal reservoir conditions. The exploration focuses on subsurface temperature distribution, hot water extractability, physical characteristics of water-bearing rock formations, and reservoir conditions. The data obtained will be used to assess the actual development potential of deep geothermal resources and the technical and economic feasibility of future heating facilities.

Geo4Berlin will integrate existing geological data, subsurface measured data obtained from the Marzahn exploration well, and the results of 3D seismic exploration separately organized by the Berlin state government to establish a digital model of the subsurface thermal reservoir. The model will be used to identify potential geothermal reservoirs, evaluate formation characteristics, and provide a data basis for engineering design and investment decisions for subsequent geothermal facilities. The 3D seismic exploration is independently implemented by the State of Berlin, and the resulting data will be incorporated into the Geo4Berlin research framework.

The Berlin state government has arranged for broader subsurface geological surveys. In July 2025, preliminary 2D seismic measurements were completed in the Lichtenberg and Marzahn-Hellersdorf areas. According to the schedule announced in January 2026, 3D seismic exploration covering the entire city of Berlin is planned to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with on-site surveys expected to last approximately four months and data processing expected to continue until summer 2028.

BEW has simultaneously initiated preliminary planning for geothermal heating facilities in Marzahn. The subsequent facility design will be further determined based on the exploration well measurement results and 3D seismic data, and the construction decision will depend on whether the subsurface thermal reservoir meets the technical and economic development conditions. The company plans to feed the first batch of deep geothermal heat into the existing district heating system in the early 2030s.