The exploration and production of minerals or geothermal energy in the Netherlands require a licence from the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (Mining Act, article 6). More information about the different licence types for geothermal energy can be found on this website.
Under the Environmental Licensing Act it is also necessary to hold an environmental permit. For more information on environmental permits visit this website of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
The interactive map shows an overview of all applied for and granted geothermal licences. Using the data center it is also possible to search for licences. This poster and list show the situation in geothermal licences as at January 1st 2020. Current changes in licences are presented in this list. A historic overview of licences can be found in the annual reports.
The maps can also be downloaded as WMS service for ArcGIS or in KMZ format for Google Earth.
Competing applications
Because the interactive map shows the areas as published in the Staatscourant, the overlap between competing applications is not visible. After all, a call for competing applications is only published for the area that is still open. In this file - to be loaded in Google Earth - the overlap between competing applications can be seen.
Sector documents and formats for submitting an application
After amendment of the Mining Act for geothermal energy on 1 July 2023, the exploration and production of geothermal energy has an independent licence system based on the Mining Act. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is the competent authority in the licence granting process. To inform those involved about how a procedure based on mining regulations works in practice, the Ministry has drawn up sector documents. Formats have also become available, which can serve as a guideline for (potential) applicants for a licence application for geothermal energy when drawing up an application.
To produce geothermal energy, the following licences must be applied for and granted on the basis of the Mining Act:
1. Search area allocation geothermal energy
Sector document search area allocation geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
Format submitting application search area allocation geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
2. Start licence geothermal energy
Sector document geothermal start licence geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
Format submitting application geothermal start licence geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
3. Agreement with a geothermal energy operator
Sector document agreement with a geothermal energy operator (only available in Dutch)
Format submitting application agreement with a geothermal energy operator (only available in Dutch)
4. Follow-up licence geothermal energy
Sector document geothermal follow-up licence geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
Format submitting application geothermal follow-up licence geothermal energy (only available in Dutch)
The sector documents and formats are a service and are for information purposes only. The sector documents and formats have no formal status and no rights can be derived from them. The sector documents and formats are continuously improved. In that sense, they are “living” documents.
For more information about the different licencing procedures, see page legislation.