Photo: Varaždin County
Varaždin County will likely be the first in Croatia to use geothermal energy for electricity production. Local authorities also plan to utilize it in agriculture and tourism.
Bukotermal, a municipal firm owned by the Varaždin County and the Municipality of Mali Bukovec, has received a contract for the production of geothermal water in the exploitation area Lunjkovec – Kutnjak for 25 years. The contract was approved by the Ministry of Economy and handed to its representatives by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
According to the Mayor of Mali Bukovec, Darko Marković, the green light came after four years of exploration and obtaining more than 100 permits and clearances. The latest step marks the end of the exploration phase.
The next task is to design new wells and a geothermal power plant, Marković noted.
Mayor Marković: The project can’t stop anymore
In his words, the project can’t stop anymore. Its realization will help Varaždin County and the Municipality of Mali Bukovec to become energy self-sufficient, the official added.
Varaždin County Prefect Anđelko Stričak said the contract enables the county and the municipality to construct a geothermal power plant and underscored it is their largest investment in history.
Stričak: We are the only county in Croatia to build a geothermal power plant
“We are the first and so far the only county in Croatia that will start designing, and then building a geothermal power plant,” Stričak stressed.
Exploration results have confirmed that the Lunjkovec – Kutnjak area has very good potential for electricity production. At a depth of 2,340 meters, there is a deposit of geothermal water with a temperature of 142 degrees Celsius. Geothermal energy will also be used for the production of food in greenhouses, Stričak added.
Of note, Velika 1 is the only geothermal power plant in Croatia. Numerous projects by private investors are under development, and the state has recently awarded subsidies of EUR 50 million for exploration near six cities.
Bukotermal is already working on the design of a heat pipeline
Bukotermal is already working on the design of a heat pipeline, CEO Alen Požgaj revealed. He said a geothermal power plant would be designed this year, as would the new wells.
There is a potential to install a capacity of 16.5 MW for electricity production and almost 90 MW for heat production, Požgaj pointed out. The plan is also to use geothermal energy in agriculture and tourism, he said.
According to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, geothermal energy has huge potential for a greater focus on renewable energy sources. The interest in geothermal energy is enormous, and while initial investments are significant, in the long term such projects deliver big savings and reduce heating costs, he added.
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