Extending geothermal heating systems in Poland under new funding
Pieniny Mountains, southern Poland (source: flickr/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs Poland, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
20 Nov 2017
With recently awarded grant, Geotermii Podhalanskiej, a developer and operator, will be able to expand its capacity of its geothermal heating plant in Podhale, Poland.
Last week, we reported on several grants provided to geothermal projects in Poland. In an interview published in Poland last week, Pawel Kpuczak, VP of Geotermii Podhalanskiej provides insights into his company’s approach on development in Poland.
The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Poland has recently granted funds for geothermal projects, among them by Geothermal Podhalanska for the development of the network. In total, the company got got PLN12 million about $3.35 million).
What will you do with the money and how will it help to develop the (geothermal) heating network in Podhale?
Precisely for development to take place, the grant provided will help us to increase our heat output by over 10 MW. It is about the development of the geothermal system, the acidification of the well that has already occurred. And the third thing is buying a compressor heat pump. I understand that this is an operation that will increase the output, but without the need to drill a new well.
So exactly, we do not do anything new. This autumn, residents of Podhale in Banska Oblast noticed that something is happening in our area. We conducted some well acidizing treatment. It depended on the fact that the acidic liquid was let in, so we increased the wells’ efficiency extraction of hot underground water. In the final result we have more heat output, so that we will be able to connect more recipients with geothermal heat.
What about other recipients, when will you connect new customers and houses?
This grant of PLN 12 million is strictly connected to the expansion of our infrastructure. On the other hand, we are waiting for a grant from the marshal’s office in Krakow for the extension of the network and connections to the houses. We already know that we have qualified and get it. These funds will go towards connecting Poronin, Bialy Dunajec and Zakopane. In the near future we will connect over 120 homes. Some work has already been done. Among others the network is already being built on Krzeptówka in Zakopane.
We will finish work until December 15th. And thanks to the grant of PLN 12m we will be sure that we will not lack the energy to heat these homes.
There is also talk about geothermal power production.
Yes, we are working on it. We work on the design and concept of the power plant. In fact, it is technically possible already at 60 degrees Celsius water temperature. For us this idea is double beneficial. On the one hand we will earn on the current and on the other we will use “waste”. That is the water that we back up under the ground. It is about 60 degrees Celsius. If we use it to produce currents, then the earth’s water is cooler by 10 degrees. I think such a power plant will become a reality in the next few decades.
Source: Gazeta Krakowska (Poland)
