Energy: networks, permissions and contracts · France / Switzerland
Geothermal project: resource rights and works dossier
A geothermal dossier starts with the resource, depth, location and actual project stage. These facts determine which resource-right and works procedures need examination. France’s mining framework and Switzerland’s cantonal subsurface regimes must be kept separate. Assemble geological evidence, maps and decisions without treating a resource title, environmental approval or construction permission as interchangeable. Record monitoring conditions and material changes against the particular project.
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- Jurisdiction
- Resource and depth
- Stage and territory
- Rights and works
- Monitoring and changes
- Official texts cited
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What separates exploration rights from permission to carry out works?
France: distinguish the resource title from permission to carry out the works. Switzerland: preserve exploration, drilling and exploitation decisions as applicable to the canton; property consent or a construction document alone does not establish every subsurface right.
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Which resource, depth and project stage are concerned?
France: identify resource, technology, depth and project stage before choosing the relevant geothermal route. Switzerland: name the canton and resource framework; the retained Vaud example is not a uniform nationwide exploration or drilling procedure.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What separates exploration rights from permission to carry out works?
France: distinguish the resource title from permission to carry out the works. Switzerland: preserve exploration, drilling and exploitation decisions as applicable to the canton; property consent or a construction document alone does not establish every subsurface right.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Geothermal resource-right and works decision map
Synthetic example: fictional records. Geothermal resource-right and works decision map.
Synthetic example: fictional records · Geothermal resource-right and works decision map
- Jurisdiction
- France
- Resource and depth
- Project G1, geological evidence D1
- Stage and territory
- Exploration, area Z1
- Rights and works
- Application T1, operation O1
- Monitoring and changes
- Record M1, variation V1
Record monitoring conditions and material changes against the particular project.
Which project characteristics support the simplified or ordinary route invoked?
France: compare actual project characteristics with the simplified or ordinary route invoked. Switzerland: the Vaud guide distinguishes surface exploration, subsurface exploration and concession stages; do not import French simplified-route criteria into that cantonal example.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Preparation reference: Geothermal resource-right and works decision map
| Preparation question | Point to verify |
|---|---|
| Which resource, depth and project stage are concerned? | France: identify resource, technology, depth and project stage before choosing the relevant geothermal route. Switzerland: name the canton and resource framework; the retained Vaud example is not a uniform nationwide exploration or drilling procedure. |
| What separates exploration rights from permission to carry out works? | France: distinguish the resource title from permission to carry out the works. Switzerland: preserve exploration, drilling and exploitation decisions as applicable to the canton; property consent or a construction document alone does not establish every subsurface right. |
| Which project characteristics support the simplified or ordinary route invoked? | France: compare actual project characteristics with the simplified or ordinary route invoked. Switzerland: the Vaud guide distinguishes surface exploration, subsurface exploration and concession stages; do not import French simplified-route criteria into that cantonal example. |
| What geological and territorial maps define the application? | France: preserve subsurface perimeter, geological evidence and map versions. Switzerland: retain corresponding cantonal project records and their assumptions; the worksheet does not certify resource productivity, geological safety or eligibility from an isolated depth figure. |
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What geological and territorial maps define the application?
France: preserve subsurface perimeter, geological evidence and map versions. Switzerland: retain corresponding cantonal project records and their assumptions; the worksheet does not certify resource productivity, geological safety or eligibility from an isolated depth figure.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Which official provision helps explain this situation?
A geothermal dossier starts with the resource, depth, location and actual project stage. These facts determine which resource-right and works procedures need examination. France’s mining framework and Switzerland’s cantonal subsurface regimes must be kept separate. Assemble geological evidence, maps and decisions without treating a resource title, environmental approval or construction permission as interchangeable. Record monitoring conditions and material changes against the particular project.
Which state or cantonal authority controls the resource right?
France: identify the authority and actual title requested for the selected resource route. Switzerland: identify the canton’s competent body and decision in the chosen case; one territory’s guidance does not establish authority for every other canton.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
How are water, environmental and construction decisions coordinated?
France: coordinate water, environmental and construction decisions with the resource title. Switzerland: keep the corresponding cantonal and applicable federal interfaces explicit; permission in one area is not automatically the entire right to exploit the subsurface resource.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Which drilling, monitoring and operating conditions are documented?
France: retain actual drilling, monitoring and operation conditions and their treatment evidence. Switzerland: preserve the relevant decision-specific conditions too; this record is neither a drilling programme nor technical approval of the proposed safety arrangements.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What material change requires renewed authority assessment?
France: compare changes in depth, footprint, technology or resource with existing decisions. Switzerland: identify the cantonal review needed for the actual variant; a previous title does not automatically cover every later configuration or operating stage.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Which preparation steps come first?
Editorial preparation order, not a popularity or success-probability ranking. Order evidence by the decisions it enables, establishing resource and legal regime before works plans and monitoring.
Define resource and project stage
Exploration, works and exploitation can require different decisions; establish those before preparing detailed plans.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Identify the legal route and competent territory
French regime or Swiss canton determines which title and evidence should be examined.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Connect characteristics with maps and studies
Depth, technology and footprint need their supporting versions and known limits.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Coordinate the works decisions
Water, environment and construction interfaces remain connected to, but distinct from, the resource title.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Track conditions and proposed changes
Each requirement and variant retains its decision before an operating permission is described as obtained.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What other questions arise in this file?
What separates exploration rights from permission to carry out works?
France: distinguish the resource title from permission to carry out the works. Switzerland: preserve exploration, drilling and exploitation decisions as applicable to the canton; property consent or a construction document alone does not establish every subsurface right.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What geological and territorial maps define the application?
France: preserve subsurface perimeter, geological evidence and map versions. Switzerland: retain corresponding cantonal project records and their assumptions; the worksheet does not certify resource productivity, geological safety or eligibility from an isolated depth figure.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
How are water, environmental and construction decisions coordinated?
France: coordinate water, environmental and construction decisions with the resource title. Switzerland: keep the corresponding cantonal and applicable federal interfaces explicit; permission in one area is not automatically the entire right to exploit the subsurface resource.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
What material change requires renewed authority assessment?
France: compare changes in depth, footprint, technology or resource with existing decisions. Switzerland: identify the cantonal review needed for the actual variant; a previous title does not automatically cover every later configuration or operating stage.
Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frVaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessions
Which official references should you consult?
- Géothermie : informations du site ecologie.gouv.frwww.ecologie.gouv.fr
- Vaud géothermie profonde — permis et concessionswww.vd.ch
Texts cited last checked: 3 November 2026