Legal framework for the approval of
geothermal systems
Leonhard Thien, EnergyAgency.NRW / North Rhine-Westphalia
Manager Geothermal Energy Network
AHK Geschäftsreise, den Haag, 25.04.2013
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
www.exportinitiative.bmwi.de
AGENDA
EnergyAgency.NRW
Legal Framework
Mining Law licensing (near-surface geothermal energy)
Mining Law licensing (deep geothermal energy)
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
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AGENDA
EnergyAgency.NRW
Legal Framework
Mining Law licensing (near-surface geothermal energy)
Mining Law licensing (deep geothermal energy)
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
Overview geothermal an law
 Mining Law Regulations of the Federal Mining Act
 Water law


Regulations of the Federal Water Resources Act
State Law Regulations
Guides, Quality Requirements, Regulations
 Law on Planning building
 Building regulation Low
Legal Framework of the Federal Mining Act

Geothermal energy is considered
mountain free mining resource (on
these natural resource extends the
property not in land)
§ 3 Abs. 3 Nr. 2b BBergG

Who wants to mine mountain free
mining resources, requires a
permission; Whoever wants to win
mountain free mining resources
approval area and permit field
- Section from the earth system
- planes perpendicular to the depth
- cut straight lines on the surface
requires a approval
§ 6 BBergG

except: extraction of geothermal
energy in a plot on the occasion of
building use
§ 4 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 BBergG
Quelle Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
AGENDA
EnergyAgency.NRW
Legal Framework
Mining Law licensing (near-surface geothermal energy)
Mining Law licensing (deep geothermal energy)
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
Mining Law Procedures
Geothermalproject
Hole longer
than 100 m?
no
no mountain
legal process
no
Response –
letter
in a plot
occasion of the
constructional use
no
Mining Low
permission
(searching)
yes
Notification according
§ 127 Abs. 1 Nr. 1
BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
searching
Betriebsplanpflicht“
Mining Law
approval
(extraction)
yes
„Betriebsplan
zulassung“
§ 127 BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
extraction
Quelle Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
yes
Water legal permit/approval
 For the water law requirements, a distinction between the
geothermal systems with and those without ground water use.
 The geothermal systems without use of ground water work
with probes or ground collectors.
 It needs a notification or a approval.
 State regulations must be observed.
 Water authorities are responsible in many places.
Different regulation in Germany
State-specific differences for approval
 partially notification, partially approval
 Different regulation for water protection areas
 Different rules regarding the borehole diameter
 Different regulation for the distance to the property line
 Different regulation for quality control and monitoring
 Different regulation for the probe liquids
 Different rules on insurance
Mining Law Procedures
Geothermalproject
Hole longer
than 100 m?
no
no mountain
legal process
no
Response –
letter
in a plot
occasion of the
constructional use
no
Mining Low
permission
(searching)
yes
Notification according
§ 127 Abs. 1 Nr. 1
BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
searching
Betriebsplanpflicht“
Mining Law
approval
(extraction)
yes
„Betriebsplan
zulassung“
§ 127 BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
extraction
Quelle Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
yes
What are the protection goal of the „Betriebsplanzulassung“
Geothermalproject
Hole longer
than 100 m?
no
no mountain
legal process
no
Response –
letter
in a plot
occasion of the
constructional use
no
Mining Low
permission
(searching)
yes
Notification according
§ 127 Abs. 1 Nr. 1
BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
searching
Betriebsplanpflicht“
Mining Law
approval
(extraction)
yes
„Betriebsplan
zulassung“
§ 127 BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
extraction
Quelle Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
yes
AGENDA
EnergyAgency.NRW
Legal Framework
Mining Law licensing (near-surface geothermal energy)
Mining Law licensing (deep geothermal energy)
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
Deep Geothermal Energy
Geothermalproject
No
in a plot
occasion of the
constructional use
Response –
letter
Notification according
§ 127 Abs. 1 Nr. 1
BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
searching
Betriebsplanpflicht“
Mining Law
approval
(extraction)
„Betriebsplan
zulassung“
§ 127 BBergG
„Betriebsplanzulassung“ for
extraction
Quelle Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
Mining Low
permission
(searching)
Hole longer
than 100 m?
no mountain
legal process
Yes
Deep Geothermal Energy
Hydrothermal and petrothermal geothermal systems require a
permit for mining law
 Mining Law permission (searching)
 Mining law approval (extraction)
 Mining Law “Betriebsplanzulassung”
 water law permit
 Building permit
Mining Law Authorizations
 Mining Law permisson (Large-scale exploration) §7 BBergG


First step: Mining law authorization: regulates exploration, seismic and test-drilling
Second step: Betriebsplanzulassung: for the searching
 Mining law approval §8 BBergG


First step: Mining law authorization: sets out requirements for the operation
(drilling and heat extraction)
Second step: Betriebsplanzulassung: for the Mining
 written application
 Is there not a reason for refusal, the mountain authority must
approve.
Mining Law Authorizations
Exploration permission (content)





Designation of mining resources
Size of the authorization field
work program
Financing
"Reliability" of the applicant
 Extraction approval (content)





Designation of mineral resources
Proof of mineral resources
work program
Financing
"Reliability" of the applicant
Mining Law Authorizations
„Betriebsplan“
 The „Betriebsplanzulassung“ allows the implementation of the
mining measure and the duration of the implementation..
Content
 Description of the technical implementation of the measure
 Description of the duration of the measure
 Reliability of the applicant
 Protection of life and health of others (environmental protection)
 Proper waste disposal
 No harmful effects on the environment
Water Law
 Water law also applies to drilling more than 100 m
 Applies to systems with and without use of ground water
 A water law permit is required:




For the extraction of groundwater and groundwater discharge,
For drillings (dishwater, hydraulic opening)
For closed systems (deep borehole heat exchanger)
Upper-day buildings
 Mining Authority decides in consultation with the water
authorities
Building Law
For the above-ground part applies (building)





For heating plants and heating power plants
for buildings
Law on Planning building
Building regulation Law
Includes additional permits:



Pollution protectíon
conservation
Safety engineering regulations
Summary
 There are big differences between near-surface geothermal and
deep geothermal Energy
 near-surface geothermal energy <100m is regulated by
the Water Act
 near-surface geothermal energy > 100m is regulated
by the Mining Law
 There are large differences within Germany (states)
 In the deep geothermal energy we have also many
regulations to be considered
 The mining law has procedures as "exploration", “extraction"
and “Betriebsplanzulassung”
 Water law and construction law must be considered
Überschrift
Thanks for your attention!
Leonhard Thien
EnergyAgency.NRW
Lennershofstraße 140
44801 Bochum
Telefon: 0234 / 32 10715
E-Mail: thien@energieagentur.nrw.de
Internet: www.energieagentur.nrw.de