According to the Heat Planning Act, municipal areas in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants are obliged to draw up a comprehensive heat plan by 2026. The use of geothermal energy plays a decisive role in Munich, as its high efficiency can make a significant contribution to the decarbonization of the heating and cooling sector. However, in order to successfully integrate the diverse geothermal potential into heat planning, methods are required that enable customized analyses for a wide range of applications.
This article presents Munich's holistic approach, which includes an analysis of the existing situation and potential with legal, technical and economic criteria as well as the designation of suitable areas. In addition, the implementation strategy of heat planning is presented, the central components of which are targeted support for the expansion of geothermal energy by means of neighborhood work, development planning, funding modules and citizen networking.