Fraport has entered into a joint venture with D&S Geo Innogy to explore and develop the potential of the Walldorf deep-earth geothermal field near the southern side of Frankfurt Airport.

If the exploration is successful, the partners will construct a hybrid power plant, which for the first time will make combined use of geothermal power and bio-gas to produce electricity and heat. 

"This will serve as a beacon project for Germany in the area of renewable energies and will attract a high degree of international recognition," enthuses Fritz Vahrenholt, CEO of RWE Innogy, co-owner D&S Geo Innogy.

Fraport's executive board chairman, Dr Stefan Schulte, described the signing of the MoU as "a further milestone in the implementation of Fraport's sustainability programme."