ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News

Government fund supporting 7 local geothermal heating projects in Poland

With funding of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, seven municipalities in Poland have been able to conduct research drilling to explore the potential of geothermal heating development.

Reported earlier this month, Deputy President of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Poland, Dominik Bak, said that Poland uses only about 30 percent of its geothermal potential. Thanks to co-financing from the National Fund, currently 7 municipalities conduct research drilling to check the possibility of using geothermal water for energy production.

Dominik Bak assessed that the energy potential of projects implemented since 2016 is good. He explained that the potential for generating geothermal heating plants is almost 60 MW (thermal), which corresponds to 20-30 wind farms of medium size. “Potential energy production in megawatt hours is half a million. Thanks to this, if we use this energy potential of implemented projects, it will be possible to reduce CO2 emissions by almost 180,000 tons per year “- said Dominik Bak.

In turn, the vice-president of the Fund, Piotr Wozny, giving the example of Zakopane, emphasized that geothermal energy can successfully compete with conventional energy sources. He noted that Geotermia Podhala?ska satisfies 40 percent of heat demand in Zakopane.

The company serves 900 houses in Podhale, including 600 in Zakopane. Piotr Wozny pointed out that Geotermia Podhala?ska competes with PGNiG on that local market. “A very equal competitive game, head to head, absolutely comparable offers,” he said.

He added that Geotermia Podhala?ska has been reducing prices twice in the last 2-3 years. In total, 23 research wells have been drilled in Poland since 1995. NFO?iGW allocated PLN 214 million (USD 58m) to it. The cost of currently implemented projects is PLN 133 million (USD 36m). Dominik Bak pointed out that the National Fund “should not have trouble financing” even several more wells over the next few years.

Source: Polsa Live

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