On 3 July 2026, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) hosted its annual workshop “Geothermie in der Praxis” – Geothermal Energy in Practice, bringing together representatives from research, public authorities, engineering and planning organisations, operators and industry to discuss current projects, practical experiences and developments in shallow and deep geothermal energy. The workshop was organised by the Geothermal Energy Working Group of TUM’s Chair of Hydrogeology and took place at the university’s main campus in Munich.
The workshop addressed the growing role of geothermal energy in the heating transition, from the integration of thermal groundwater systems and district-scale cooling to deep-geothermal projects and long-term operational experience. Particular attention was given to practical applications and the challenges associated with bringing innovative thermal-energy concepts into real-world implementation.
incampus and INTERSTORES in the spotlight
A key contribution from the INTERSTORES perspective was the presentation “Innovatives Energiekonzept incampus” by Markus Faigl from AUDI AG, Project Manager for INTERSTORES activities at incampus. His presentation placed the incampus site in Ingolstadt among the practical examples of innovative energy concepts highlighted during the workshop.
incampus is one of the main demonstration environments of the INTERSTORES project. The site combines its broader innovative energy concept with the construction and operation of a water-gravel seasonal thermal energy storage system, demonstrating how existing infrastructure can be repurposed and integrated into a future-oriented thermal energy system. Within INTERSTORES, a former fire-water basin dating from the refinery era is being transformed into a large-scale thermal storage facility.
The concept supports the wider ambition of incampus to develop a highly efficient and climate-neutral energy system. Previous INTERSTORES activities at the site have demonstrated how district heating and cooling, reversible heat pumps, thermal storage and the utilisation of waste heat can be combined within a flexible, modular energy system.
By presenting the incampus energy concept to a specialised geothermal audience, Markus Faigl contributed to the exchange of practical knowledge on how thermal energy technologies can be integrated at district and industrial-site scale. The presentation also provided an important opportunity to increase the visibility of the solutions being demonstrated through INTERSTORES among operators, planners, engineering organisations, public authorities and researchers working directly on the heating transition.
A full day of geothermal projects and practical experience
The programme opened with a welcome by Kai Zosseder from TUM, followed by F. Böttcher from the Department for Climate and Environmental Protection of the City of Munich, who presented the integration of thermal groundwater systems into the planning and implementation of Munich’s municipal heating transition.
Following Markus Faigl’s presentation on incampus, C. Starace from Knorr GmbH presented the large-scale thermal use of groundwater for cooling, using the MAN site as a practical example.
The afternoon programme shifted towards deep geothermal energy. R. Kahnt from G.E.O.S presented the current status and lessons learned from the Geiselbullach geothermal project, while W. Siedl from OMV AG discussed the importance of adequate data collection during geothermal-field exploration through the Hydros Seestadt case study in Vienna.
The final technical contribution came from D. Reuss of GTU Geothermie Unterschleißheim AG, who reflected on operational experience from the pioneering Unterschleißheim geothermal project and the new challenges emerging after years of practical operation.
Together, the six technical presentations covered both shallow and deep geothermal energy, linking municipal heat-transition planning, groundwater-based heating and cooling, innovative district energy concepts, geothermal exploration and long-term operation. TUM designed the workshop particularly for students, representatives of public authorities, planning and engineering offices, operators and other professionals interested in geothermal applications.
Connecting research with real-world deployment
For INTERSTORES, participation in exchanges such as “Geothermie in der Praxis” is particularly valuable because it brings project solutions directly into discussions with the professional communities involved in planning, implementing and operating future heating and cooling systems.
Through Markus Faigl’s presentation, incampus provided a concrete example of how innovative thermal-energy concepts and seasonal thermal energy storage can move from research and development towards real-world deployment, while contributing practical experience that can support the future replication of similar solutions across Europe.