Why Germany is betting on Canadian clean energy tech [Video]

At first glance, the drilling site about an hour south of Munich might seem like a traditional oil operation. Two towering rigs, reminiscent of those seen in Canada’s oil industry, soaring over the Bavarian countryside.

They have a different goal though: extracting heat, not fossil fuels.

“This is pioneering work,” said Fabricio Cesario, Plant Manager for Eavor Deutschland.

The system, called the Eavor-Loop, uses water circulated deep underground, where it is heated to around 120 C before being returned to the surface.

The project is expected to generate approximately 64 megawatts of heat and 8.2 megawatts of electrical power once complete. Eavor says that’ll be enough energy to heat and power approximately 20,000 homes in Geretsried, a town with a wider history in geothermal power.

“There was an attempt to have a thermal water project here around 10 years ago, which was not successful,” said Cesario “But they have [left] a lot …