| Authors |
Goodman, R., Pasquali, R. Kepinska, B., Burkhard Sanner, B., Hámor T., Reay, D., Jaudin F., van Heekeren, V., Bussmann, W., Rueter, H., Dumas, P., Earls, G. |
| Abstract |
The IEEA, Altener funded GeoThermal Regulation – Heat (GTR-H (www.gtrh.eu)) project runs from October 2006 to October 2009 with the aim of identifying and reviewing the regulatory barriers and deficiencies for geothermal heat in unregulated EU countries. The GTRH project aims to develop a template framework for geothermal regulation in the EU which would provide the basis for the development of national framework documents. Four ‘target’ countries were chosen which had a poorly functioning regulation or no geothermal regulation; Hungary, Ireland, Northern Ireland/UK and Poland. Expertise in four regulated or ‘Best Practice’ (BP) countries France, Germany and Netherlands provided a review of best practice geothermal legislation. Of particular note in the analysis of the barriers both in the ‘target’ and the BP countries were issues to do with resource ownership/usage, multi resource licensing, limits of geothermal reservoirs, financial barriers and support for geothermal. It has become clear that geothermal regulation in the projects partner countries as well as in the EU-27 and broadly in the international context is influenced predominantly by the preceding natural resources legislation. Following from the national framework documents, guidelines for the establishment a framework document for geothermal regulation in the EU 27 have been developed and disseminated to a broader international audience. The GTR-H project builds on previous EU projects such as K4RES-H in the renewable energy sector. |