The geothermal facility in Papenberg in Waren (Müritz) holds the distinction of being the first MW-scale geothermal heating project in Germany. Intensive work on the project started in 1980, with drilling and testing of the first doublet of boreholes done by 1982. By 1984, the Papenber geothermal heating plant was commissioned as the first geothermal heating center in Germany.
After significant political changes, the project was Waren-Papenberg plant was continued by Stadtwerke Waren in 1991 followed shortly by extensive renovation measure. Another production well was then drilled by 1995. Currently, the facility supplies geothermal heat to a district heating network corresponding to the needs of about 1715 apartments and public buildings.
“Waren has geothermal energy and location advantages that can and should be used,” said State Economics Minister Reinhard Meyer. There is an old geothermal borehole in Kietz, but this is not worth rehabilitating according to Mayor Norbert Möller. Other locations in the East and West residential areas are being considered instead.
The city has already submitted an application for funding for this heating plan, and the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will be contributing up to 90% of the costs. The Prime Minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig, had previously expressed the intention of making the region a model in Germany for the use of geothermal energy to heat homes.
