Aquathermal energy has the potential to become a valuable component of Europe’s sustainable heating and cooling mix – and indeed, is already delivering.
However, tapping the full potential will require more than technological innovation.
Stronger governance frameworks, greater public awareness, supportive policies and collaboration across sectors are all needed to bring aquathermal energy into the mainstream.
These were among the key messages emerging from the last WaterWarmth webinar on 8 June, which brought together project partners, researchers and practitioners to discuss lessons learned, practical experiences and future pathways for aquathermal energy deployment across the North Sea Region.
Despite growing momentum around renewable heating and cooling, speakers highlighted several barriers that continue to slow the uptake of aquathermal energy.
These include complex permitting procedures, limited integration of thermal planning into local decision-making, funding challenges and a lack of familiarity with the technology among policymakers and the wider public.
At the same time, the WaterWarmth project has demonstrated that progress is possible. Since its launch in 2023, the project has developed practical tools, feasibility methodologies and pilot projects that help communities and project developers assess and implement aquathermal energy solutions.
Experiences from the Firma van Buiten pilot at TU Delft showed the importance of early stakeholder engagement, cooperation with water authorities and robust monitoring practices.
Beyond technical implementation, the webinar focused on the long-term future of aquathermal energy.
Researchers from TU Delft and Lund University presented a collaborative vision for 2050, where aquathermal energy plays a central role in resilient, community-driven heating networks across the North Sea Region.
Achieving this vision will require coordinated action over the coming decades, from testing and refining pilot projects today to improving governance structures and integrating aquathermal energy into broader energy systems in the future.
The webinar featured contributions from Dirk Blom (Provincie Fryslân), Lenn Coussement (EXTRAQT), Michiel Fremouw (TU Delft), Nthabi Mohlakoana (TU Delft), AnnSofie Micallef-Nilsson (Lund University) and Sara Brogaard (LUCSUS, Lund University), who shared insights from across the project’s technical, governance and stakeholder engagement activities.
As WaterWarmth enters its final phase, the project’s findings reinforce a clear message: Europe already has access to a significant and largely untapped renewable heat source. The challenge now is creating the policy, governance and market conditions needed to scale aquathermal energy from promising pilots to widespread deployment.
