At a special meeting of the Illertissen town council, HNU researchers Robin Renoth, Dr. Martin Schmieder and Priv.-Doz. Dr. Elmar Buchner explained the basics of geothermal energy and highlighted the framework conditions for its possible use. The background to this is that the town of Illertissen - like all Bavarian towns and municipalities - must draw up a municipal heating plan by 2028.
In addition, there are currently investigations into sustainable heat planning as part of the necessary renovation of the Illertissen swimming pool (“Nautilla”) and the grammar school (“Kolleg der Schulbrüder Illertissen”).
In their presentation, the HNU researchers explained both the opportunities and risks of energy generation in the region. The geological conditions are generally positive and the potential risk from geothermal drilling can be classified as low. Sufficient flow rates can be expected in Illertissen with manageable drilling costs.
However, successful implementation is not only dependent on good technical and economic conditions: As the researchers emphasized, the opinion of the local population and the associated acceptance of such an infrastructure project also plays a key role in geothermal projects. Robin Renoth, research assistant at the DigiHealth Institute at HNU, is investigating acceptance factors for geothermal energy projects as part of his doctoral project and is currently interviewing people from various stakeholder groups in the town of Illertissen.
