We’re continuing our partner spotlight series with Hung Pham from Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD), one of the key research partners in the HOCLOOP Project.
Unlike many teams focused solely on heat extraction, Hung and his colleagues are exploring an innovative twist: seasonal heat storage. Their work investigates how thermal energy can be stored underground during summer and reused during winter—an approach that supports more stable and efficient year-round geothermal usage.
“We work directly with industrial partners. That gives us the chance to test real prototypes and move quickly from research to market—straight from TRL7 to TRL9.”
This close collaboration with industry allows for rapid validation of results and faster progress toward market deployment. The HOCLOOP solution itself—based on a dual-pipe, vacuum-insulated system—is a unique fusion of geothermal and oil & gas engineering expertise, optimized for effective and flexible deployment.
By combining research-driven insight with practical, field-tested solutions, TUD’s role exemplifies the kind of multidisciplinary innovation needed to accelerate the green transition and broaden geothermal energy’s impact.
📽️ Watch the full interview to learn more about Hung’s perspective and the role of seasonal storage in HOCLOOP’s development.