Study: Geothermal energy could be used at 6 out of 18 Belgrade heating plants

A study conducted by the Faculty of Mining and Geology has shown that 6 out of the 18 district heating plants in Belgrade have the potential for utilizing geothermal energy. The next step is to select one of these locations to conduct exploratory drilling.

The study conducted by the Faculty of Mining and Geology aimed to determine the geothermal potential of underground waters at 18 locations of heating plants and boiler rooms operated by public utility company Beogradske elektrane, Professor Ana Vranješ has told Radio Television of Serbia.

The findings of the study showed an exceptionally high potential for these energy sources, said Vranješ.

She explained that an assessment was conducted to determine the depth of the geothermal reservoirs, expected temperatures, and the quantity of geothermal waters. Based on this data, six locations were identified: Batajnica, Borča, Novi Beograd, Zemun, Resnik, and Miljakovac, and now more detailed research needs to be conducted.

Vranješ: The goal is to determine the location with the highest potential in Belgrade, where the first exploratory well could be drilled within a year

The ultimate goal, according to Vranješ, is to determine and measure the location with the highest potential, where the first exploratory well could be drilled within a year to confirm that potential. She added that geothermal energy could be utilized very quickly.

Geothermal energy is already applied in district heating systems

Vranješ also highlighted that Europe has over 300 geothermal heating plants with a combined installed capacity of over 5 GW, and that there are 200 projects currently under way. It is expected that by 2030, up to 1,000 geothermal heating plants will be constructed, she added.

Vranješ also stressed that Serbia has experts, including at the Faculty of Mining and Geology, who can implement such a project in Belgrade.

She added that using geothermal energy has its advantages, lower operational costs, and that these systems enable the local utilization of resources, stability of supply, and absence of price volatility.

Geothermal energy is continuously available and does not depend on external atmospheric influences that could disrupt resource availability, explained Vranješ.

Geothermal energy allows for the local utilization of resources, stability of supply, and absence of price volatility

There is potential for the application of geothermal energy in cooling as well. However, this would require the implementation of advanced networks such as 4G or 5G, to support geothermal cooling in district heating systems, she noted.

Geothermal energy is a renewable and inexhaustible source, and its use does not produce harmful gases, Vranješ told the public broadcaster.