Developing Geothermal Projects Using Energy Demand Profiles in the Pannonian Basin

Abstract

Due to its geography and geology, Hungary is a country rich in geothermal / thermal waters. There are more than 1,300 thermal water wells in Hungary, most of which are used for balneological purposes and form the basis of the spa culture. At the same time, the exploitation of thermal waters has a significant untapped potential in terms of energy: according to a recent strategical proposal, the energy extracted from it should triple by the end of the decade. In 2021, Hungary’s total demand for natural gas was 11.2 billion m3/year. Of this, the direct demand for natural gas for the building sector was 3.9 billion m3/year. Reducing the use of natural gas is essential for our climate policy objective, as this sector is a major source of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. REPowerEU’s plan is to rapidly reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to accelerate the green transition, on the basis of which the demand for renewables is large and widespread. GeoInnovator Kft. has developed and implemented a large number of geothermal projects. The needs of industrial and municipal customers have changed significantly in recent years. The analysis of customer profiles (district heating, town communal heating, industrial, agricultural, space heating, etc.) in the project development phase has become more important. This, together with the emergence of energy communities, has significantly changed the value of mixed business plans. In this paper–as part of field management and one key project strategy component–we present the best practice project developments of the GeoInnovator Team.