Discharges under the Environment and Planning Act for geothermal energy systems

With the introduction of the Environment and Planning Act, the discharges associated with the construction and development of open geothermal energy systems are classified as environmentally relevant activities. These must now be included as part of the permit application. Immediately after the Act came into force, competent authorities were faced with the question of how to handle this new responsibility. Whereas municipalities were previously responsible for discharges (under the former Blibi framework), responsibilities have now shifted. Municipalities and water authorities now fulfil an advisory role. The environmental agency sought clarity on the relevant legislation and regulations, as well as practical guidance for implementation through customised permit conditions.

Cantech mapped all relevant legislation and regulations related to discharges from geothermal energy systems and structured the submission requirements in a clear and accessible way. We then provided support in drafting customised permit conditions. To accelerate and standardise the advisory process for municipalities and water authorities, a standard advisory template was also developed.

The competent authority now has a clear legal and practical framework for assessing discharges within permit applications for open geothermal systems. Thanks to the customised conditions and the uniform advisory template, the process is faster, more consistent, and more transparent — benefiting both applicants and the competent authority.