In this PhD project, it will be determined which energetic and ecological contribution the heating and cooling supply through Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) can make to the energy transition in Germany.

For this purpose, the following steps will be carried out:

1. Quantification of the amount of thermal energy that can be stored and recovered in the subsurface with different technologies, depending on their temperature level, using an approach that takes into account the local subsurface properties.
2. Identification of the local energy supply by mapping the local heating and cooling sources according to their energetic characteristics.
3. Determination of the amount and type of thermal energy needed for space heating and cooling in the future based on researched data on the current heating and cooling demand.
4. Determination of the possible CO2 savings and other environmental impacts of aquifer thermal energy storage compared to conventional heating and cooling supply.