The strategy paper makes five recommendations for the expansion of geothermal energy:

• Define expansion targets for deep geothermal energy

Politicians must formulate clear expansion targets and legislators must back these up with regulations. This includes accelerated approval procedures with a concentration effect as well as reviewing the adaptation of laws (e.g. BBergG, WHG, BauGB, UVPG, GEG) and the designation of preferred areas in the regional development plans of the federal states and in municipal land use plans. At the same time, policymakers must make CO₂ avoidance costs a key regulatory tool and the system of charges and levies for municipal and industrial producers and operators must be levelled and simplified.

• Minimising the risk of discovery

Effective instruments are needed in the short term to minimise the risk of discovery: in economic terms, these are financial tools and a noticeable increase in the annual funding volume of the "Federal Subsidy for Efficient Heating Networks (BEW)" to well over EUR 1 billion. Technically, this includes
geophysical investigations in metropolitan areas as part of the geological surveys and an exploration drilling programme to reduce the exploration risk, as well as demonstration and pilot plants with close scientific support.

• Invest in key technologies

Investments in 10-year key technologies for expansion to a large industrial scale by industry and accompanying government funding programmes; e.g. in drilling and reservoir technologies (incl. engineered geothermal systems), borehole pumps, high-temperature heat pumps, development of large heat storage systems, the expansion of trans-municipal heating networks and cross-sectoral system integration. Comprehensive digitalisation must become the basis for the analysis, planning, integration, control and monitoring of complex energy systems.

• Train skilled labour

Activation of the high value creation and labour market potential of 5 to 10 people per megawatt of installed capacity along the value chain of research and development, component production, administration, plant construction and operation through innovation and business promotion measures. Accompanying education policy measures (curricula, further training, inter-company training centres, recruitment programmes) are needed to eliminate the lack of personnel capacities.

• Interact with citizens

Broad public outreach must be initiated and proactively supported politically. The promotion of positive anticipation and acceptance in society requires a targeted strategy for interaction with citizens and stakeholders, especially at municipal level, which creates participatory opportunities.