GEOFIT: More Than a Hole in The Ground

What started as a hole in the ground on the University of Galway campus grounds is now a living field-scale laboratory for geothermal technology. Beyond heating the campus swimming pool, GEOFIT’s ground-source heat pump infrastructure will act as a pilot for other European countries, influencing policy and propelling Ireland’s decarbonisation journey forward as a whole.

In 2021 as part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission put ‘Fit for 55’ into action – a set of policy proposals aimed at implementing SDGs (sustainable development goals). To reduce gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, the ‘Fit for 55’ package calls for a doubling of heat pump roll-out rates in Europe. This means the installation of at least 10 million additional heat pumps by 2027, alongside the phase-out of stand-alone boilers by 2029 and the deployment of 30 million+ heat pumps by 2030. Researchers at University of Galway have taken this opportunity to develop a research-led, ground–source heat pump infrastructure – a living laboratory for teaching and experimentation that will inform policy and support Ireland’s decarbonisation journey.

MaREI researcher Luis Miguel Blanes Restoy contributed to a new article for Cois Coiribe, University of Galway’s online publication.

Read it here.