PUSH-IT – Piloting Underground Storage of Heat In geoThermal reservoirs

Piloting Underground Storage of Heat In geoThermal reservoirs

Project PUSH-IT’s ambition is to overcome the seasonal mismatch between heat demand and heat generation from sustainable sources using underground heat storage. The EU-funded project focusses on three innovative technologies for high-temperature heat storage, as well as enabling technologies, societal engagement, and governance, policies and business models.

The goal is to develop this missing link in heat networks as a safe, reliable, affordable, and economically viable solution that fits existing and future regulatory frameworks. This contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving a net-zero carbon economy and society in Europe by 2050.

Optimal system integration

Social engagement

Enabling technologies

Delft (NL)

Darmstadt (DE)

United Downs (UK)

Bochum (DE)

Litoměřice (CZ)

Berlin (DE)

The technologies

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) is the storage and recovery of thermal energy in aquifers, which are permeable layers that contain groundwater.

Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES) is a large, underground heat exchanger. A BTES system consists of a set of tubes installed in the underground, placed vertically in a borehole.

Mine Thermal Energy Storage (MTES) uses the mine water present in abandoned mines as a carrier for transporting heat.

The pilots

PUSH-IT will demonstrate full-scale implementation of heat storage in geothermal reservoirs at three demo-sites: Delft (Netherlands), Darmstadt (Germany) and Bochum (Germany). Next to these key demo-sites, three ‘follower’ locations for future pilots are Berlin (Germany), Litomĕřice (Czechia) and United Downs (United Kingdom). At these sites, we will address specific local technical and societal challenges and engage local stakeholders. We will translate our findings into solutions that can be applied to heat storage systems across Europe.

The topics

Social engagement, societal benefits, and risk and regulations

will be addressed to ensure public understanding and support and speed up market upscaling of heat storage.

Optimal system integration & control

will be developed to reduce costs, ensure environmental protection and achieve better integration of sustainable heat in the energy system.

Enabling technologies

and good practices will be employed to improve performance, safety and realisation of heat storage.

News

Engagement

The Push-It General Assembly in Bochum to discuss the project’s progress

Last week, the Push-IT consortium came together for 2.5 energising and inspiring days at the Fraunhofer Institute in Bochum, Germany. It was fantastic to reconnect face-to-face with partners from across Europe and realign around our shared mission of driving innovation and impact. A highlight of the General Assembly was the interactive poster sessions — a welcome new format that sparked great conversations and deeper understanding across work packages. Each site had a presentation together with all the technologies of Work Package 3 and Tessel Grubben.

June 14, 2025

Engagement

Students Explore the World Beneath Their Feet During GeoWeek

Each year during GeoWeek, students aged 10 to 15 get the opportunity to explore the exciting world of geo-sciences. Across the Netherlands, they participate in fieldwork, visit companies, or attend guest lectures given by professionals from the soil, water, and geo-information sectors. The focus of the week is on hands-on learning — from drilling soil samples and creating digital maps to testing the strength of dikes.

June 7, 2025

Engagement

Join the First IEA-ES Task 45 Webinar on Large Thermal Energy Storage (LTES)

We’re excited to invite you to the first webinar organized by the IEA Energy Storage (ES) Task 45 group, a leading initiative focused on advancing Large Thermal Energy Storage (LTES) technologies. This online event marks the beginning of a series dedicated to unlocking the potential of Pit (PTES), Borehole (BTES), Tank (TTES), and Aquifer (ATES) thermal energy storage systems.

May 30, 2025

Feel free to contact us

PUSH-IT is a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101096566.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.