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Poland plans to consolidate geothermal support into one program

Poland plans to consolidate geothermal support into one program Geothermal well at Zakopane, Poland (Source: Geotermia Podhalanska)
Alexander Richter 23 May 2019

Poland is working on a consolidation of geothermal support programs into one, called "Polish Geothermal Plus (Polska Geotermia Plus)". It is facilitate investments in exploring the deposit, drilling and construction of geothermal heat plants.

The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFO?iGW)  is working on a consolidation of geothermal support programs. One of them will be created – “Polish Geothermal Plus (Polska Geotermia Plus)”, which is to facilitate investments in exploring the deposit, drilling and construction of geothermal heat plants.

Urszula Zaj?c, the director of the energy department at NFO?iGW, recently informed that “very advanced” works on consolidation of several geothermal support programs offered by NFO?iGW are underway in the Fund.

She explained that the program under the working name “Polish Geothermal Plus” is to allow for no need to separately seek and submit applications for financial assistance for the exploration of the deposit and subsequent construction of a geothermal heating plant. This would be done “in one window” and on one application.

Zaj?c reported that the new geothermal support program should be presented “up to a month” and should contain “very preferential conditions, not just on the loan itself”. In the years 1995-2018, the National Fund spent PLN 219 million (around EUR 50m/ USD 57m) on research and development of geothermal waters in Poland (the total cost of these wells is PLN 273 million zlotys, around EUR63m). In 2016-2018, NFO?iGW co-financed seven such projects. Investments are carried out in Kolo, Turku, Sieradz, Ladek Zdrój, Sochaczew, Tomaszów Mazowiecki and in Szaflary. The value of contracts signed is over PLN 133 million (EUR 31m).

Potential to obtain power of geothermal heat plants – if they are created in these seven places – it is nearly 60 MW (the largest in Szaflary – over 18 MW). In turn, potential energy production is nearly 470 MWh.

In April this year, the fund announced that it will allocate PLN 17 millio (EUR 4m) for the exploration well in the commune of Sekowa (Gorlice poviat, Lesser Poland region). One of the conditions for granting subsidy for Sekowa was the municipality’s declaration on the allocation of thermal energy for heating local houses. The estimated capacity of the potential geothermal heat plant in S?kowa was determined at 6.5 MW, with energy production at 40,595 MWh.

The fund argues that geothermal energy is “relatively” cheap, and the source of energy is permanently available, unlike other RES, such as wind or sun. With large geothermal resources, they can also be used for recreational or therapeutic purposes, including in swimming pools, which is done, for example, in the Bania thermal baths in Bia?ka Tatrza?ska.

The Fund argues that scientific research indicates that Poland is very rich in thermal water. The temperature of water in regions with aquifers in Poland ranges from 30 to 130 degrees Celsius, and the sources of geothermal waters in sedimentary rocks are located at a depth of 1 to 10 km. For an investment in geothermal energy to be profitable, it must meet two basic conditions. The source of hot water must be efficient and the water must have relatively low salinity.

Source: BiznesAlert