Geothermal energy harnesses the heat beneath the surface of the Earth for heating applications and electricity generation, and has proven to be secure, environmentally sustainable and cost effective over long time periods. Geothermal applications can range in depth from a few metres below the surface to several kilometres. Ireland has widespread shallow geothermal resources for small and medium-scale heating applications, which can be explored online through our Geothermal Suitability maps for both domestic and commercial use. We recommend use of our Geothermal Suitability maps to determine the most suitable type of ground source heat collector for use with heat pump technologies. Ireland also has recognised potential for deep geothermal resources.
The Roadmap for a Policy and Regulatory Framework for Geothermal Energy was launched at the Geoscience 2020 Conference in November 2020. The
Assessment of Geothermal Resources for District heating in Ireland and the Roadmap for a Policy and Regulatory framework for Geothermal Energy in Ireland documents have been developed to support the Government's commitments under the Climate Action Plan 2019 and the Programme for Government.
For further information please see our Geoenergy pages or contact the Groundwater and Geothermal Unit of the Geological Survey Ireland directly.