CLEAN GEOTHERMAL POWER AND WATER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EUROPEAN PEOPLE THE ALTHEIM STATEMENT  

Around the globe warnings of the dawning climate change are expressed. Most experts predict  dramatic consequences, should mankind not succeed in counteracting  this phenomenon which endangers all regions of the earth. Simultaneously, another problem  awaits a solution - the increasing shortage of clean drinking water. 

The geothermal community of Europe, and the companies belonging to it, acknowledge their duty to offer possibilities and methods at their disposal to provide a valuable contribution in  reducing the impact and consequences of these critical phenomena, by avoiding unnecessary C02  emissions. 

In some regions of Europe geothermal power plants already contribute substantially to an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy supply, using existing technologies exploiting steam and hot water reservoirs. We think here mainly of Italy, the Azores,  other islands of volcanic origin in Europe and, last but not least, Iceland. In Iceland geothermal energy will be one of the two pillars upon which will be built a fully renewable energy supply. In South-East Europe, Turkey and the Caucasian region further huge, yet chiefly unexploited reservoirs may contribute to a sustainable energy supply. 

The technological developments of recent  years have opened new ways to use the heat in the interior of our planet. The excellent results achieved by scientists working on the European Hot-Dry-Rock research projects raise the expectation that electric power will soon be produced from geothermal energy throughout Europe at economically and ecologically acceptable conditions, not only in regions  known for high ground temperatures. 

Altheim, as one of the trailblazer municipalities, reveals the diversity of new possibilities, such as electric power generation with low temperature water, that will emerge as the firm basis for advances in engineering, drilling and equipment technology.  

New ideas and technologies will secure a dependable supply of clean drinking water. Deep and hot aquifers can be used as a supply for energy and drinking water as well. Geothermal energy can also be used to desalinate seawater. Showcases for these uses are Erding, Mszczonow, and the recently  started project in Milos. 

The geothermal community of Europe and their representatives assembled in Altheim expect  politicians and society to accept and pursue the opportunities offered by geothermal energy. We urge political decision-makers in Europe to remove political, administrative and legislative obstacles, to create incentives, and to support geothermal energy with the same vigour as other renewable energy sources, and to open the road for the huge potential of geothermal energy to be further developed into the respective national energy supply. The European Union is requested, in agreement with the Green Book, to forcefully advance support for research and use of geothermal energy, at present and in the 6^th framework programme. No country within Europe will be able to fulfil the Kyoto objectives without taking into account geothermal energy. 

Altheim, 9.3.2001 

Dr. Christian Boissavy, EGEC President		Franz Weinberger, Mayor of Altheim
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