The Vogtland district is pushing ahead with its plans to use geothermal energy on a large scale. At the end of April, measurements will begin in the Schönbrunn region to analyze the nature of the subsurface in more detail, as the district office announced on Wednesday. This will be followed by further explorations by the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology. If the results are as expected, deep drilling and the construction of a geothermal power plant could begin at the end of 2025, it said. This would involve tapping into thermal water at a temperature of around 120 degrees at a depth of around three kilometers.
The district sees itself as the first municipal mining operation in Saxony. "With this project, we have launched an ambitious project for a modern and future-proof energy supply in the district," said District Administrator Thomas Hennig (CDU). "We are not only benefiting from the beauty of our home region, but also from the treasures beneath us."
Under the Vogtland region, scientists believe that a type of magma bubble is a geological feature that not only stores heat and causes it to rise in the form of thermal water, but is also believed to be responsible for the typical regional swarm earthquakes. The idea is to use this deep heat reservoir to supply households and businesses in the region with district heating and electricity. The potential is sufficient for around a third of the district's population, according to the district administration office.
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