Geothermal energy licence
In Victoria you need a licence for geothermal exploration and extraction.
Geothermal exploration permits are only offered through a State Government Tender process.
Licence types
- Geothermal exploration permit
- Geothermal retention lease
- Geothermal extraction licence
Before work can start you will need to have an accepted operation plan. For more information contact the assessments team.
If you hold an existing geothermal permit or lease, variations to your licence can be applied for online using our Resources Rights Allocation and Management (RRAM) portal.
If you are unsure of your RRAM login details, contact RRAM support.
Geothermal Energy Resources Act 2005 (Vic) (GER Act)
The GER Act provides a framework for the exploration and extraction of geothermal energy. The GER Act establishes that like other earth resources, the heat energy within the earth belongs to all Victorians, and is therefore vested in the Crown.
The GER Act seeks to encourage the development of a clean, secure and renewable source of energy and will benefit Victorians by:
- facilitating the sustainable large scale commercial exploration and extraction of GER, and thereby its use;
- establishing secure title to GER to enable industry to raise finance to explore and extract GER;
- providing for effective and efficient allocation mechanisms for GER titles which will maximise GER exploration and extraction;
- ensuring transparent, fair and efficient land access processes;
- ensuring environmental, social and land use issues are considered from planning to decommissioning GER operations; and
- providing an effective regime to enforce conditions of the title and operation, in particular, health, safety and environmental performance.
More information
Page last updated: 05 Mar 2024