Greetings: Dr. Karin Thelen, President of the German Geothermal Energy Association; Hendrik Fischer, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg and a greeting from the partner country France: Maximilien de Maisonneuve, Geodeep representative; Prof. Dr. Ingo Sass (GFZ) “Geothermal energy between application and research”; panel discussion; award ceremony: “Best Young Scientist” and Patricius Medal; congress opening: Prof. Dr. Horst Rüter, Head of the Scientific Committee