TU DARMSTADT

Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) is a public higher education and research institution. It belongs to the TU9, which is the alliance of leading Universities of Technology in Germany. The field of Geothermal Science and Technology has scientific and engineering roots and combines basic geoscientific knowledge with the requirements of practical industry applications. The research focus of the Department of Geothermal Science and Technology is the determination of petrophysical rock properties, numerical modelling in the field of geothermal energy, the assessment of geothermal reservoirs and resources, fluid-formation-interactions, thermal and mineral waters, development of measurement instrumentation and the integration of geothermal systems into networks of other (renewable) energy systems. 

The chair or research group Geothermal Science and Technology (under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Ingo Sass) has scientific and engineering roots and combines basic knowledge with the requirements of industry. Research focus are petrophysical rock properties, numerical modelling, the assessment of reservoirs and resources, fluid-formation-interactions, thermal and mineral waters, development of measurement instrumentation and the integration of geothermal systems into networks of other (renewable) energy systems. The research group comprises one professorship, one cooperation professorship, one external lecturer, five scientific employees, four administrative /technical employees and 15 PhD candidates.

The chair of Geothermal Science and Technology has long-term experience in teaching geothermal related lectures and courses, such as Geothermal Basics and Shallow Geothermal Systems, Deep Systems, Exploration and Reservoir technologies, Analytical and Numerical Models, Shallow- and Medium- and Coupled Geothermal Systems , Deep drilling technology and more. Furthermore, the chair is equipped with its own teaching laboratory HydroThermikum, which enables the training of students to conduct thermo-physical, rock- and soil-mechanical as well as hydrogeologicalhydrochemical analysis using state-of-the-art methods and devices. Moreover, the chair possesses its own unique thermo-triaxial testing device, which allows for the determination of mechanical and hydraulic parameters, as well as realization of reactive flow through experiments under reservoir conditions. The chair has been awarded three times with the TU Darmstadt Athene Prize for Good Teaching in 2018,

Approximately 15 to 25 students obtain their degree (M.Sc. or B.Sc.) within the research group Geothermal Science and Technology each year. Moreover, the research group is part of the Darmstadt Graduate School of Energy Science and Engineering.