Austria proposes legal reforms to expand deep geothermal energy use

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has proposed an amendment to the Mineral Rohstoffgesetz (Mineral Raw Materials Act) to facilitate the expansion of deep geothermal energy. The goal is to utilize Austria's estimated 1,000 MW of thermal capacity to provide climate-friendly district heating to approximately 500,000 housing units, reducing reliance on imported gas.

Key legislative changes include streamlining the permit process into a single administrative procedure and removing the requirement for consent from all affected landowners for drilling at depths below 300 meters. To encourage investment, the government plans to introduce a risk-mitigation instrument. This model will be financed through a moderate levy on geothermal energy once initial investment costs have been amortized, ensuring a budget-neutral approach.

Potential sites for development include the Vienna Basin, the thermal regions of eastern and southeastern Austria, and areas near Bad Gastein. Wien Energie aims to source about a quarter of Vienna's district heating from deep geothermal energy by 2040, potentially supplying 200,000 households.