EGEC is proud to be a signatory of the first-ever tripartite agreement on energy storage at European level. The agreement, which was prepared by the European Commission, brings together Energy Ministers from 22 EU Member States alongside associations representing storage developers and manufacturers, renewable energy developers, energy-consuming industries and financial institutions. The objective of this agreement is to accelerate the deployment of energy storage solutions throughout the European Union, using batteries and thermal storage, in order to support the shift towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy system.  Under the Tripartite Agreement on Energy Storage … 🔷 The European Commission will support EU Member States in creating funding schemes for energy storage and help the decarbonisation of energy-consuming industries, including through the Industrial Decarbonisation Bank. It will also explore ways of supporting energy storage deployment under the Innovation Fund. 🔷 National governments will support the energy storage sector by removing barriers that slow progress. Where necessary, they will provide financial support for energy storage rollout and manufacturing through national and EU funding, and in line with State aid rules, such as the Clean Industrial State Aid Framework (CISAF). 🔷 Financial institutions (national and regional banks) will share expertise on storage projects to make them more attractive to investors, and work with the EIB Group and with each another to increase the impact of funding for storage solutions. 🔷 Providers of energy storage solutions will collaborate with industries and other large energy consumers to develop and implement plans for new energy storage projects. In connection with the Tripartite Agreement signed on 26 June, the European Commission has shared some examples of energy storage projects that could be easily replicated. These include: 🔶 The GESIIS Project in Ostellato (Emilia-Romagna, Italy), provides a replicable model for integrating geothermal energy with high-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage (HT-ATES). The system, operated by by FRI-EL Geopower SRL, supplies heat to hydroponic greenhouses. 🔶 The Korvenmäki waste-to-energy plant in Salo, Finland, uses deep geothermal wells to store excess heat from waste incineration and then use it to supply to Salo’s district heating network. The plant is operated by Lounavoima and the wells were implemented by QHeat. 🔶 The Kuebebierg district heating and cooling project in Luxembourg will combine 10 GWh of seasonal solar-to-ground thermal storage with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels, 800 geothermal boreholes, and a district energy network (developed by Karno). EGEC has also provided the Commission with further examples of successful geothermal energy storage projects that have been or are being developed by Mijnwater (Netherlands), Geothermie Neubrandenburg GmbH (Germany), Vulcan Energy (Germany) and Lithium de France. The EU’s Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen chaired the signing ceremony, which took place in Luxembourg on Friday (26 June). EGEC was represented by our Secretary General, Philippe Dumas. Also present were the CEOs of two EGEC members: Erika Salmenvaara from QHeat and Ernst Gostner from Fri-El Green Power SpA. According to Philippe Dumas: “Signing this Tripartite Agreement on energy storage is a proud moment for EGEC. The agreement brings together key players including storage solution providers, power and heat producers, energy consuming industries and the district heating and cooling sector, plus the banks who have a key role to play in financing energy storage projects. With the strong backing and commitment from the European Commission and national governments, we are optimistic that this agreement will provide a platform for accelerating the deployment of underground thermal energy storage across the whole of the EU, as well as the supply of geothermal lithium for batteries. In this way we can continue to show how all kinds of geothermal storage solutions can contribute to achieving a more resilient, efficient and sustainable energy system.” For more info see the European Commission’s Press Release. Philippe Dumas at the signing ceremony in Luxembourg on 26 June 2026. Signatories of the Tripartite Agreement on Energy Storage (© European Union 2026)

EGEC, together with 11 other European associations - representing Europe's renewable energy sectors in all their diversity, is calling on Energy Ministers from the 27 EU Member States to outline an investment-orientated renewable energy regulatory framework beyond 2030. Today's joint letter to EU Energy Ministers has been coordinated by EGEC in cooperation with 11 other associations and organisations: WindEurope, Solar Impulse Foundation, EUREC (The Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres), ESTELA (European Solar Thermal Electricity Association), Ocean Energy Europe, Solar Heat Europe, EREF (European Renewable Energies Federation), Global Renewables Alliance, Airborne Wind Europe, European Heat Pump Association & SolarPower Europe.The letter has also been copied to the relevant members of the European Commission (EVP Teresa Ribera, EVP Stéphane Séjourné, Dan Jørgensen & Wopke Hoekstra) and to the Directors-General responsible for Energy (Celine Gauer), Climate Action (Kurt Vandenberghe) and Industry (Kerstin Jorna).In our joint letter to EU Energy Ministers, we underline the following facts: ➡️ Europe’s renewable energy sectors employ over 1,8 million people directly and 4,5 million indirectly, and contribute over €150 billion to the EU’s GDP. ➡️ Renewable energy is foundational to Europe’s strength, resilience and independence as witnessed against the backdrop of conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East. ➡️ The EU spent €336 billion on fossil fuel imports in 2025. This bill is set to rise further in 2026, undermining Europe’s energy security and competitiveness. ➡️ Meanwhile, Europe’s installed renewable energy capacity, which only comprised 25.2% of final energy consumption in 2024, saved €54.1 billion from imported fossil energy in 2025. ➡️ Accelerating the uptake of renewable electricity, heating and cooling is fundamental to Europe’s energy security. The same is true for grids, thermal networks, storage, demand response and mineral extraction. Joint Letter on EU Renewable Energy Targets and Frameworks post-2030

EGEC hosted a Policy Session on 9 June as part of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) in Brussels. The Policy Session ‘European Geothermal Action Plan for energy security, affordability and competitiveness’ was prepared in close partnership with the European Commission (DG Energy) and Canada's Mission to the EU. The session was introduced by EGEC's Policy Director, Sanjeev Kumar, who reminded the audience that for many years EGEC has been calling for the adoption of an ambitious Geothermal Action Plan at European level in order to accelerate the deployment and maximise the utilization of geothermal energy throughout Europe (see EGEC's proposals). The European Commission was represented by Mechthild Worsdorfer (Deputy Director-General, DG Energy). She confirmed that the Commission is currently finalising a package of proposals that should be published before the end of July. This package will include measures to accelerate Europe’s clean energy transition and mobilise all renewable energy resources, including geothermal, building on the EU Green Deal legislation and the AccelerateEU plan. Callie Stewart (Head of Trade Section, Canada's Mission to the EU) highlighted Canada’s support for next-generation geothermal technologies. She underlined that unlocking the potential of these technologies requires supportive policies, and confirmed Canada’s willingness to collaborate with the EU and other international partners. Marcin Kaniewski (Business Development Consultant with Eavor Technologies Inc.) described Eavor’s pioneering closed-loop geothermal demonstration project in Geretsried (Germany), which was realised with funding from the EU Innovation Fund and a loan from the European Investment Bank. Eavor’s closed loop technology can reliably provide both electricity and heat, with a relatively small environmental footprint and low operating costs. Marco Baresi (Vice-President of EGEC / Director of Marketing & Institutional Affairs, Turboden S.p.A.) said that when it comes to scaling up geothermal energy, Europe should learn from what has worked in the USA, notably in terms of political leadership and vision, favourable policies and suitable financial frameworks. Lily Burge (Global Policy Lead at Climate Bonds Initiative) explained that the EU could help to drive up investment in geothermal projects by providing policy stability and by making permitting procedures both simpler and faster. Thomas Homer-Dixon, Executive Director at the Cascade Institute, agreed that having an enabling regulatory environment is vital for drawing in private capital. He echoed the demand for faster permitting and licensing procedures, and he also called for close collaboration between the public and private sectors. Bringing the session to a close, Sanjeev Kumar emphasized that Europe’s geothermal sector is calling for a Geothermal Action Plan that will be a stand-alone document, and which will include ambitious targets for increasing Europe’s geothermal capacity in terms of heating and cooling as well as electricity generation. Scroll down for more photos (© European Union 2026) and a video recording of the Policy Session ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut5OitEgBIY

Europe’s energy security, competitiveness, and prosperity depend on the rapid acceleration of geothermal investments combined with upscaling of domestic production capacity. Geothermal energy was recognised by Mario Draghi’s 2024 report as one of the last remaining European technologies in which European companies still have technological leadership, and the Act should capitalize on this strategic reality by establishing a mandate to cement Europe's position as global leader in geothermal technology and innovation. President von der Leyen stated, at the European Parliament’s Plenary in October 2025, that “The lowest prices for energy are in countries that produce abundant low-carbon energy – be it solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal or nuclear”. Therefore, the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) must provide opportunities for new or expanded manufacturing capacity to benefit from cheap and local geothermal electricity, heating, cooling or critical raw material usage. Geothermal benefits the European economy by: • Helps European Industry remain competitive. For example, BASF and Vulcan Energy have signed agreements to supply geothermal heat to BASF's Ludwigshafen chemical complex, Europe's largest chemical site. Volvo’s manufacturing plant in Koping, Sweden ̈, which specialises in the production of gearboxes for trucks, boats and buses, converted to geothermal in 2014. Kiilto Oy’s chemical plant in Lempäälä, Finland, commissioned a geothermal system in 2018 which saved over 350,00 CO2e emissions per year. The Stellantis plant in France invested in geothermal in 2025 and has cut gas consumption by 70%, CO2e emissions by 75% and water use by 15%. • Clean firm or “baseload” electricity and heating. For example, Geothermal power plants operate for the most hours per year (89-73%) compared to nuclear (79-74%), gas (37-34%), coal (45-42%), hydro (34- 31%), wind (25-23%) and solar PV (10-11%). • Lowers the cost of electricity grid impacts. For example, Element Energy’s research indicates that if the UK were to use Geothermal Heat Pumps to electrify all heating and cooling demand, it would save more than 26 TWh of electricity, which is equivalent to the planned Hinkley Point C power plant, which is estimated to cost £35 billion (circa €40 billion). • The most efficient and least electricity-consuming cooling. For example, a geothermal cooling installation in Paterna, near Valencia, reduced electricity consumption by 60%, contributing to lowering peak demand. Stadtwerke München, the energy utility owned by Munich’s local government, invested in communal cooling network in the Sendling district to reduce the electricity consumption linked to cooling by 70% across its 22 km grid. • Least land-intensive and lowest cost storage. For example, underground thermal energy storage systems can store large quantities of heat and cooling beneath existing urban developments, requiring only a fraction of the land needed for surface energy infrastructure. IRENA indicated that underground thermal energy storage costs are in the range of 0.1 to 35 USD/kWh, which makes it the cheapest of all storage options. Geothermal storage with a 90GW Eavor-LoopTM next generation geothermal system would replace an additional 200 GW of capacity to meet a 110 GW demand and save 9,000 km2 of land for other purposes. • Geothermal lithium and other critical raw materials. European experts pioneered lithium extraction from geothermal brines. The leading European suppliers of lithium hydroxide are located in Germany, France and Italy. Geothermal lithium is extracted rather than mined, which makes it the most environmentally friendly extractive technique. For example, geothermal lithium projects in Upper Rhine Valley have the potential to supply enough sustainable lithium for several hundred thousand electric vehicle batteries annually while simultaneously producing renewable energy and heat. Geothermal in the Industrial Accelerator Act

EGEC signs a Declaration of Support to foster the sustainable integration of data centres in the energy system  5 June 2026  The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) welcomes the adoption of the European Commission's Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy sector, and the opportunity for the geothermal sector to sign a Declaration of Intent with the European Commission, the data centre operators, the energy-related parties and the public authorities.  The Roadmap sends a strong political signal that digitalisation and AI must become central enablers of Europe's clean energy transition and industrial competitiveness and geothermal is a key solution to allow an affordable transition.   The rapid deployment of AI technologies and cloud computing is expected to significantly increase Europe's electricity and cooling demand. The Geothermal energy sector is ready to provide an immediate and long-term solutions to these challenges.   Geothermal is:   A baseload, domestic, renewable energy source present all over Europe  Capable of generating electricity 24/7  Supplying heating small and large scale  Supplying free or active cooling   Providing underground energy storage esp for waste heat  Enabling the extraction of critical raw materials, including lithium, produced in Europe.  Unlike many clean technology, geothermal is made in Europe. The resource is local, stable, and shielded from geopolitical shocks, making geothermal uniquely positioned to become a strategic partner for Europe's future AI and data infrastructure.   Geothermal electricity has a unique value in generating base load electricity 24/7 anywhere in Europe.  Geothermal cooling technologies have already demonstrated strong operational performance in Europe. Existing projects show that geothermal free cooling can dramatically reduce electricity consumption while maintaining reliable year-round operation for high-demand digital infrastructure. Underground technologies also support seasonal balancing for heat and cooling demand, including the storage and reuse of waste heat generated by data centres.   The geothermal sector already uses AI and advancing computing technologies to improve exploration, drilling, reservoir modelling, operations and predictive maintenance. Digitalisation and AI can significantly reduce project development risks and lower the levelised cost of geothermal energy. The sector therefore welcomes the Roadmap's ambition to strenghten research and innovation for AI applications in the energy sector.  Permitting remains one of the main bottlenecks for geothermal deployment in Europe. Digital permitting platforms integrating geological mapping and environmental assessments could substantially reduce delays and increase investors certainty.   Representing EGEC at the signature with the European Commission and the data centre industry, EGEC board members highlighted:  “On the occasion of this Declaration of Support, we underline the essential role of sustainable power supply for data centres, with geothermal ensuring reliable baseload renewable energy. Maximising waste heat recovery is equally key to integrating data centres into local energy systems. At the same time, strengthening Europe’s manufacturing technologies is strategic to deliver resilient, competitive, and decarbonised digital and energy infrastructure.” - Marco Baresi - VP EGEC    "Today’s signing marks a significant step in turning our Strategic Roadmap on Data Centers into reality. This tripartite agreement demonstrates how collaboration between the European Commission, industry, and energy partners can unlock new opportunities for sustainable digital growth. By integrating geothermal energy into the development of data center infrastructure, we are creating a model that strengthens energy security, supports decarbonization, and enhances our competitiveness in the global digital economy. Together, we are building the foundations for a future where digital innovation and clean energy advance hand in hand." - Kamila Piotrowska - VP EGEC  "Europe's energy sovereignty will increasingly depend not only on access to energy resources, but also on leadership in digital technologies and artificial intelligence. As AI transforms how energy systems are designed, operated, and optimized, geothermal energy has a unique role to play by providing reliable, domestic, and low-carbon power and heat that can support the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure. This Strategic Roadmap sets out a shared vision to strengthen Europe's resilience, competitiveness, and ability to shape its own energy future." - Carla Barrera - EGEC board member  EGEC therefore is now willing to be among the first signatories of a tripartite agreement on sustainable integration of data centres. 

Policy document published by EGEC on 15 May 2026 Additional substantive measures for the Geothermal Action Plan