Geothermal energy: things are heating up under Flemish feet
With the draft decree of 18 January 2016, the Flemish Government intends to establish a framework by means of authorization schemes for exploration and extraction of geothermal energy.
In practical terms, the draft decree is about geothermal energy located in earth layers at a depth of 500 meters or more.
Regarding the authorization procedure, the draft decree makes a distinction according to whether the exploration and extraction stage follows each other or not. In addition, the authorization to explore and / or extract geothermal energy is viewed separately from the integrated physical environmental permit for the construction and exploitation of operations that are necessary to explore and extract geothermal energy.
An exploration authorization and, as the case may be, the subsequent extraction authorization, grants license holder the exclusive right for exploration and / or extraction of geothermal energy within a defined underground volume (a so-called 'volume area'). According to the draft decree, the practical spatial planning and environmental judicial review of the construction and / or exploitation of the planned exploration and / or extraction operations should be done by applying for a separate integrated physical environmental permit.
The intended exploration authorization is granted for a 5-year period, while the variable duration of the extraction license would, among other things, depend on the estimated quantity of geothermal energy that can be extracted. This means that there is no question of a permanent integrated physical environmental permit for the construction and exploitation of the concerned exploration or extraction operations.
This draft is yet to be approved and implemented by respectively the Flemish Parliament and the Flemish Government.
Will undoubtedly be continued...
Associated areas of specialisation: Energy, Environment