Programme area:
Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Security
Outcome:
Increased renewable energy production
Output:
Improved capacity to develop less established renewable energy sources
Project title:
Supporting Efficient Cascade Use of Geothermal Energy by Unlocking Official and Public Information
Project acronym:
INFO-GEOTHERMAL
Project Promoter:
Geological Survey of Slovenia
Project Partners:
Partner 1: Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy
Partner 2: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning
Partner 3: Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia
Partner 4: Reykjavik University, Iceland School of Energy (ISL)
Start of the project:
01/09/2022
End of the project:
30/04/2024
Co-financing source:
EEA Grants and corresponding Slovenian contribution
Total eligible project expenditure (EUR):
1,073,529.41
Project grant (EUR):
1,073,529.41
Main project results:
Impact on one national policy and law; two proposals in the field of legislation: a report on the necessary changes to the legislation for the establishment of geological risk insurance systems and a report on the necessary changes to the legislation for support schemes for reinjection, cascading and geothermal electricity; experts in the field of geothermal energy qualified.
Project summary:
Increased and more energy-efficient use of thermal water for geothermal energy (GE) production can make a significant contribution to achieving Slovenia’s climate and energy goals. It is a local renewable energy source , its use significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can replace the use of fossil fuels in areas with the most favourable potential, which are mainly in the eastern part of the country, in the cross-border Pannonian Basin. The proposed approaches make it necessary and possible to move from the near stagnation of GE energy production, the reduction in the number of district heating systems, the limitations on thermal water extraction due to the lack of reinjection wells, and the less coordinated management of the use of GE, as it is handled by two ministries, to the accelerated and environmentally friendly extraction of thermal energy from the deep underground. The project aimes at innovative strengthening institutional capacities of national authorities involved in managing geothermal energy use, of local authorities who provide spatial framework for investors, and biggest players in exploration of deep geothermal potential in Slovenia. From transferring knowledge from the worldwide leading geothermal country Iceland, joint activities will result in significantly improved formal support schemes for investments.