NRW starts nightly vibrations: geothermal energy on a treasure hunt!

NRW starts nightly vibrations: geothermal energy on a treasure hunt!

The coming weeks in North Rhine-Westphalia will be dominated by geothermal energy. From September 15, 2025, the vibro trucks will roll through the region to measure the geothermal potential as part of the “Westfälischer Hellweg seismic campaign”. This important campaign, carried out by the North Rhine-Westphalia Geological Survey, is intended to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and ensure a climate-friendly heat supply. Ruhr24 reports that ...

The measurements are mostly carried out at night in order not to obstruct traffic and to achieve more precise results. In a 185-kilometer section, the vehicles stop every 30 meters to create vibrations that last up to three minutes. During the measurements, which last a maximum of one to two hours per section, the subsurface is imaged up to three kilometers deep. Two measuring teams start at the same time from Paderborn and Wuppertal and move towards each other - with another measuring point in Hagen.

Important events and public relations

To inform the public about the project, various events are organized. These include the Börde Farmers' Market in Soest on September 7th, the Museum Night in Dortmund on September 20th and the weekly market on Friedrich-Ebert-Platz in Hagen on September 23rd. Here, anyone interested can experience a “hands-on vibro truck” and find out about the geothermal measurements.

Geothermal energy itself provides renewable geothermal heat that is available all year round. Another example of efforts to increase sustainability are the planned investigations on the Lower Rhine, which will begin on November 14, 2023. These are intended to help identify rock formations that offer potential for geothermal energy. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia informs that ...

The path to climate-friendly energy

Energy and Climate Protection Minister Mona Neubaur also emphasized the importance of geothermal energy for climate-neutral heat supply. In addition to the campaigns already underway in North Rhine-Westphalia, further measurements are planned in various regions in the coming years. The motivation behind these projects is clear: they are intended to help achieve climate goals and reduce dependence on energy imports. Further information can be found on the deep geothermal energy website.

Geothermal heat is viewed as an important pillar in future energy supply and the Lower Rhine could develop as a model region for North Rhine-Westphalia. Hydrothermal geothermal energy is used to generate energy by using deep water that lies at least 400 meters underground - a process that has proven successful in the Netherlands.

With these measures, North Rhine-Westphalia is looking optimistically into the future because the course for a sustainable and climate-friendly heat supply has been clearly set.