Geothermal energy as a stepstone for a zero-emission university campus

The University Campus Charlottenburg/Berlin will be used as an example to show how geothermal energy can make a decisive contribution to a climate-neutral university campus. In combination with heat pumps, geothermal energy offers the possibility of a secure heat supply for the campus, which is in the process of transformation. The investigation addresses the geological horizons Muschelkalk and Buntsandstein at depths of 900 - 1250 m. Temperatures of 45 - 63°C and an extraction capacity of 1.2 to 4.7 MW are expected. Depending on the outside temperatures, direct use for heat supply can take place. The ongoing renovation process on campus significantly increases the direct use potential of geothermal energy. In the retrofitted state, the maximum supply temperature drops to 60°C with an outside temperature of -10°C. This demonstrates that the geothermal use of the underground can provide a reliable heat source for the transformation process on campus or in city quarters in general. An essential aspect of this utilization is the redesign of the heating network to allow a differentiated supply of buildings with different temperature levels. The example of the location's south campus shows that the use of geothermal energy enables a CO₂ savings potential of up to 64%. In addition, the use of geothermal energy for cooling supply via ad- and absorption chillers is investigated. This approach opens up new perspectives for the holistic use of geothermal energy and helps to increase efficiency and conserve resources in campus operations.