Romanian company to build geothermal hydroponic greenhouses on 50 hectares

Geothermal well developer and operator Green Tech International started the construction of a geothermal hydroponic greenhouse complex on ten hectares in western Romania. It is part of a five-year plan to reach 50 hectares.

Green Tech International, listed this year on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE or BVB), said it has started the works on the largest hydroponic greenhouse complex in Romania, heated with geothermal water.

The company’s strategy is to develop at least 50 hectares over the next five years. It has 12 years of experience in the development and operation of geothermal wells. Green Tech International, which is also a platform for geothermal energy solutions, directly owns 42 wells and operates another 41. It is one of the largest portfolios in Europe.

The company is conducting the current project through its subsidiary Horti Green Invest. Hydroponics are a method of growing plants without soil. The roots are suspended in a nutrient solution or in an inert medium retaining the nutrients.

Geothermal heat has significant competitive advantage

Geothermal energy has a significant competitive advantage to traditional sources, with renewable heat available 24 hours a day, regardless of the weather, and with a predictable cost in the long term, Green Tech International noted.

Gavriluță: The project will position Green Tech International among the top three greenhouse vegetable producers in Romania

“We are well-positioned to capitalize on our geothermal resources and generate value in complementary sectors with high growth potential. Our strategy focuses on investments in synergistic industries such as sustainable agriculture, where geothermal energy provides a major competitive advantage due to lower costs and supply stability,” Chief Operating Officer Dragoș Gavriluță said in a stock exchange filing.

First phase to cover ten hectares

Green Tech International has started the construction of its first modern geothermal hydroponic greenhouse project, covering an area of 10 hectares in western Romania, he stressed. The project will position Green Tech International among the top three greenhouse vegetable producers in Romania, Gavriluță claimed.

The update reveals that the company intends to invest in the rehabilitation of existing geothermal wells in the area and in the modernization of a thermal power plant to supply heat to the greenhouses. Green Tech International Group also includes Geotherm Distribution and Apoterm Nădlac.

According to an earlier news report, the company is interested in subsidies via the European Union’s Modernisation Fund for the production and transport of geothermal energy for district heating or cooling systems.

As for the rest of the region that Balkan Green Energy News covers, Turkey is one of the world’s biggest geothermal energy producers, including the greenhouses segment.