Number of Participants at Europe's largest geothermal trade fair increases / Host country Netherlands / Short list of European Geothermal Innovation Award announced

When business travelers from all over the world come to Offenburg to the Upper Rhine region, most times they are heading towards one of the international events in town. On the 20th and 21st of February it will be the GeoTHERM, that provides a stage for international high level experts and operators to discuss the newest scientific and industrial developments as well as current geothermal energy policies.

This year with South Korea and Russia joining the circle of exhibitors, Europe's leading geothermal energy event increases the internationality of exhibitors. All in all, about 200 exhibitors and 3.500 visitors from 36 nations are benefitting from the largest networking platform within the industry.

Host country Netherlands

Besides several top-class speakers the Netherlands present themselves with selected lectures as this year's host country. Dr. Erwin Knapek, president of the German Geothermal Association, is already excited, "The Netherlands, have come very far in the use of geothermal energy in greenhouses".
Benefitting from the drilling experiences since the eighties, a strong national market for shallow geothermal energy has developed in the Netherlands. In 2012 Dutch geothermal energy projects contained an investment volume of 70 million EUR and 450 jobs were created. The rapid upswing within the last ten years benefits particularly from the good knowledge of the country's subsurface, public availability of data and an excellent match between heat demand of greenhouses and subsurface potential. These conditions allow a very rapid growth of geothermal energy. These recent developments will be introduced by the Dutch Geothermal Association at GeoTHERM 2014.

European Geothermal Innovation Award

Another international highlight at this year's event will be the European Geothermal Innovation Award. Initiated by the European Geothermal Energy Council in collaboration with Messe Offenburg, organisers of the GeoTHERM, the Award acknowledges exceptional contributions towards the field of geothermal energy. Out of fifteen entries concerning innovative products, scientific research or project initiatives, the Jury will decide on an overall winner which will be announced on 20th February. "The number and quality of the nominations has made the selection process very difficult; indeed we were unable to agree on a fifth nomination, which is why we have restricted ourselves to four this year" said Dr. Burkhard Sanner, President of EGEC and member of the Jury. "Although the decision was difficult, it was a pleasure to read the exciting ideas, and deeply encouraging to see the vivacity of the geothermal industry. On behalf of the Jury I would like to thank everyone who entered the competition for this first edition of the award".

The jury, which consists of Victor van Heekeren (The Netherlands), Adele Manzella (Italy), Ladislaus Rybach (Switzerland), Burkhard Sanner (EGEC), and Sandra Kircher (Messe Offenburg), has already short-listed these four candidates:

• Bestec (DE), for their contribution to the development of commercial EGS
projects.
• Exergy (IT), for their Radial Outflow Turbine for geothermal binary plants.
• Groenholland (NL), for their innovative contribution in the shallow geothermal
field
• Zorlu (TR), for the Kizildere Phase II plant, which has a binary unit and supplies
district

For further information on the European Geothermal Innovation Award visit www.geotherm-germany.com

Address of the Location and Organizer: Exhibition Center Offenburg, Schutterwälder. Str. 3, 77656 Offenburg, Germany. For detailed questions please do not hesitate to contact the project team of GeoTHERM by phone +49 (0)781 9226-54 or E-Mail geotherm@messe-offenburg.de.

Entrance Tickets

The tickets include trade fair and congress participation as well as the catalogue, the simultaneous translation and the subscription to the online library.

Ticket for one day (free choice of day)
42,00 EUR incl. VAT

Ticket for two days
62,00 EUR incl. VAT

Ticket for the evening event on 20th February
59,00 EUR incl. VAT (bookable until the 18th February)

For further information in English, French and German please visit www.geotherm-germany.com.