While the main GEOSYN demonstration will take place at an Italian dairy facility, the technology’s potential extends far beyond a single application. The project is conducting virtual case studies to show how this innovative geothermal approach can benefit industries across Europe.
Expanding Horizons Through Virtual Testing
Starting in May 2026, SDU will lead the virtual case study assessment with UNIFI, RIVACOLD, and SINTEF. These digital simulations will demonstrate how GEOSYN technology performs across different industrial contexts, applying the operation flexibility strategies developed in earlier project phases.
The virtual assessments analyze:
- Local geothermal resource characteristics and availability
- Specific industrial heating and cooling requirements
- Integration with existing infrastructure and potential UTES connection
- System performance during start-up and ramping operations
- Energy savings and operational costs compared to conventional systems
The primary virtual case study focuses on a cement plant, with additional industrial applications assessed based on mapping conducted in the project’s first phase.
From Theory to Economic Reality
UNIFI (University of Florence) leads a comprehensive techno-economic analysis evaluating capital expenditures (CAPEX), operational costs (OPEX), and system performance across the project’s demonstration and virtual case studies. This analysis incorporates energy prices, operational conditions, and maintenance requirements to create a complete financial assessment of GEOSYN technology.
The evaluation applies advanced exergo-economic methods to identify the progressive build-up of costs from both component capital expenditures and thermodynamic inefficiencies (exergy destructions). This detailed approach calculates the Levelized Cost of different energy products—both heat and cold—delivered by the GEOSYN system.
Beyond cost analysis, the assessment includes key financial indicators such as Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return on Investment (RoI), and Net Present Value (NPV) to demonstrate the technology’s competitiveness against conventional heating and cooling systems.
Real Benefits for Multiple Industries
By December 2026, GEOSYN will release its report on virtual case studies, followed by the complete techno-economic analysis in October 2027. These documents will provide industrial stakeholders with concrete evidence of how the technology could benefit their specific operations.
The results aim to demonstrate GEOSYN technology as a flexible, adaptable approach for various industrial settings across Europe, from food processing to chemical production, cement manufacturing to textiles. Each implementation can be tailored to local geothermal resources, specific thermal requirements, and existing infrastructure.