Geothermal heating in Tallinn
Overview
In Tallinn’s Tiskre district a geothermal pilot project supplying heat to a large, modern apartment building started operations in April 2024. The project developed by the Geological Survey of Estonia is a first in the country and part of the GEOENEST initiative by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to assess the potential of geothermal energy for district heating solutions. See the second GEONEST project here.
For the pilot project, a 500-meter-deep well – the first drilling in Estonia to reach this depth – was fitted with a U-pipe. The water circulating in this pipe is heated up by the ground and provides heat for the residential building covering an area of 4360 square meters. Geothermal energy has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 300 tons annually.
“In its first few weeks of operation, the pilot project has successfully supplied heat to a large apartment building, indicating potential cost savings on heat energy. This suggests geothermal energy could become a viable part of Estonia’s transition toward cleaner, more sustainable energy sources.”
The geothermal heating system was visited by Estonian Minister Kristen Michal and guests from neighbouring municipalities. Given that the results from the first weeks of operation in Tallinn are promising the project demonstrates that geothermal heat production in Estonia is an effective way to provide efficient heating and bring down CO2 emissions. Besides supplying the apartment block with heating, the Tallinn-project is expected to offer valuable insights through ongoing research and monitoring.
Summary
First drilling in Estonia to reach 500 meters depth
300 tons annual CO2 reduction expected
Geothermal heat for residential building covering with 4360 square meters