Unlocking the treasures beneath the earth for the future of the energy landscape is only possible with expertise and political support. This appeal marked the opening of the DGMK/ÖGEW Spring Conference in Münster.
A Balancing Act Beneath the Earth: Vast quantities of fossil resources still lie deep beneath our feet, alongside the promises of a low-carbon future. The Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für nachhaltige Energieträger, Mobilität und Kohlenstoffkreisläufe (DGMK) has also been attempting this balancing act for several years now – addressing oil and gas on the one hand, and geothermal energy and CO2 storage on the other.
The coexistence of fossil and renewable energy sources is also clearly evident at the DGMK and Österreichische Gesellschaft für Energiewissenschaften (ÖGEW) Spring Conference, taking place in Münster on May 6 and 7.
In his opening speech, Dr. Jürgen Rückheim emphasized the importance of the scientific disciplines concerned with the subsurface: “Through our unique expertise in subsurface sciences, we remain essential co-shapers of the energy transition.” Rückheim is Chair of the DGMK Division for Geo-Energy Systems and Underground Technologies, which traditionally organizes the conference.
Researchers and practitioners are using the gathering in Westphalia to exchange views on the current state of science and technology over the course of two days. More than 600 experts from academia and industry accepted the division’s invitation to the cathedral city. The conference, usually held in Celle, moved to Papenburg for the first time in 2025 and, after this stop in Münster, will return to the shipbuilding town in 2027 (April 28/29).
Rückheim pointed to the division’s strategic realignment five years ago. Since then, the traditional research fields of gas and oil exploration have been joined by the “children of the energy transition”: geothermal energy, energy storage, and the capture and storage of carbon dioxide (CCS). Bringing the latter more strongly into focus had taken place without ignoring the traditional “upstream business.”
The range of scientific events, workshops, and conferences had changed in terms of content due to the new research fields. Whether this development also aligns with the interests of DGMK members is currently being assessed through a survey conducted by the association.
For the DGMK, Rückheim explained, it is important that research be financed not only by industry but also through public funding. Policymakers require scientific expertise in order to transform the energy landscape. A scientific conference therefore cannot be apolitical, even if the DGMK itself has no influence on legislation and acts merely as a “well-informed observer.”
According to Rückheim, the coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD still has “room for improvement.” Nevertheless, it includes provisions concerning natural gas production as well as the future use of CCS as an “essential instrument of decarbonization.” The scientific community is also following the continued development of the hydrogen ramp-up with particular interest.
Conducting research beneath the earth’s surface does not mean keeping one’s work hidden from public view. This is how DGMK Managing Director Dr. Gesa Netzeband should be understood when she calls for “greater visibility in society” for her scientific field. Unlocking the treasures beneath the earth is the result of hard scientific work that produces highly advanced technology. There is something magical and fascinating about it.
