The Greens Demand Guarantees for Inter-Municipal Geothermal Energy Project in Vaterstetten

The Greens are joining the struggle for a guarantee for an inter-municipal geothermal energy project in Vaterstetten. The MPs Claudia Köhler and Markus Büchler from Unterhaching and Oberschleißheim see their criticism that the state government does not recognize the importance of geothermal energy for the energy transition confirmed by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs’ rejection. “It cannot be seen,” writes Büchler. Geothermal energy is an issue in almost all municipalities in the Munich district. Many systems have been running for a long time. The AFK Geothermie of the communities of Aschheim, Feldkirchen and Kirchheim are planning another drilling. The Geothermal Energy and Heat Transition Southeast Working Group with eight communities is working on a joint project. Gräfelfing is already laying cables. But the state government is asleep. Söder and Aiwanger simply didn’t care about geothermal energy.

The reason for the sharp criticism is a statement from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which has put a significant damper on hopes in Vaterstetten and Grasbrunn that the Free State could provide a guarantee to cover the risk of drilling for an inter-municipal geothermal power plant on the Vaterstettener Flur. Grasbrunn’s mayor Klaus Korneder (SPD) spoke to Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) about this at the folk festival in Keferloh and he publicly declared his support without elaborating. The ministry now only sees the possibility of financially supporting planning services in the development of “energy concepts and municipal energy usage plans” through a funding program.

The Greens are bringing this up because they have been insisting for some time on using guarantees to enable municipalities with little financial strength to shoulder a geothermal energy project that would cost tens of millions. Getting started with the risk that a drilling operation will go wrong is considered a financially difficult mortgage. An application from the Greens for a guarantee program as part of the most recent budget preparation was defeated in the state parliament at the end of March 2023 with the votes of the CSU and Free Voters. For this reason, says MP Köhler, she lacked faith right from the start when Aiwanger’s “cocky announcement” in Keferloh that action would follow this time.

The Greens expect to give in next year: “We demand that guarantees and risk insurance be included in the draft budget for 2024 and that we finally take action!” Berlin is making its contribution with federal funding for efficient heating networks (BEW) and up to 40 percent subsidies. The mayors of Grasbrunn and Vaterstetten want to write a letter to Economics Minister Aiwanger about the matter. The decision to found a geothermal energy company to build a power plant is due to be made in Vaterstetten on September 21st. Like Grasbrunn, the communities of Haar and Zorneding are also considering participation.