The document summarizes the background and goals of a project called GECKO at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. The project aims to co-design an implementation concept for a deep geothermal energy pilot plant at KIT through a participatory and transdisciplinary approach. The goals are to involve stakeholders early, incorporate their views, and develop recommendations. KIT wants to become carbon neutral and has a promising geothermal resource at the planned pilot plant site with temperatures of 170°C at 3 km depth. The project will co-produce knowledge and co-design recommendations for the pilot plant implementation concept.

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Co-design of an implementation concept
for a deep geothermal energy project at the
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
8.10.2020
EGW 2020, Session „Social acceptability“
Melanie Mbah, Judith Krohn (Öko-Institut), Christine Rösch, Sophie Kuppler, Christina
Benighaus (ITAS at KIT), Eva Schill, Katharina Schätzler, Florian Bauer (Cluster
Geoenergy at KIT)

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Background of the
project
EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al. 2
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• German “Energiewende” needs more action towards reduction of CO2-
emissions in heat use (heat production) (nearly 50% of CO2-emissions)
• Geothermal energy plants may contribute to this transformation process
• long-term infrastructure project
• socio-technical implications, e.g. change of overall energy supply
system, variety of actors and interests, landscape changes, …
• social acceptability is an important aspect
Background I
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EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al.

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• Renewable energy plants are often contested infrastructures, despite a
broad consensus for the German “Energiewende”
• Stagnation in expansion of renewable energy plants (especially wind
power plants and deep geothermal energy plants)
• Many concerns/fears with regard to (deep) geothermal energy plants in
many countries (especially regarding seismicity)
• Public participation in geothermal projects has so far mainly remained at
the level of hearings
Background II
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A participatory and transdisciplinary approach is promising to
involve stakeholders at an early stage and take into account their
knowledge, expectations, concerns and demands.
EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al.

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GECKO – Co-Production of
Knowledge and Co-Design
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EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al.

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• In GECKO, recommendations
for an implementation concept
will be developed using the
example of the KIT pilot plant
• KIT aims at carbon neutrality
• Site of the KIT Campus North,
is characterized by one of the
largest known heat anomalies in
Germany (170°C at a depth of 3
km)
• A pilot plant is planned for the
use of deep geothermal energy
GECKO Project
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EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al.

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Thank you for your attention!
EGW 2020, co-design, Mbah et al.