Croatia confirms major geothermal resource for district heating

The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency’s exploratory activities at a preliminary exploration site in Velika Gorica have confirmed significant geothermal potential. The output from this single geothermal well could meet nearly 60% of the thermal energy needs of the city’s district heating system, the agency said.

The recorded reservoir temperature exceeds 100 degrees Celsius, and the well’s capacity meets the projected targets in full, the agency stated. The exploratory activities in Velika Gorica are part of a wider project to develop geothermal potential for district heating in Croatia, covering six cities.

To fully realize the geothermal system’s potential for district heating in Velika Gorica, a second well is planned. This would create a so-called production-injection pair, allowing for the continuous and safe use of this natural resource, the agency said.

A second well is planned in Velika Gorica to fully utilize the geothermal potential

In addition to its application in district heating, the geothermal potential in the Velika Gorica area also holds promise for agricultural production, it added.

“This is one of the first concrete steps in the use of geothermal energy for heating in continental Croatia. The project is financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and the works were carried out by CROSCO, a member of the INA Group,” the agency said.

The project to explore the geothermal potential in six cities – Vinkovci, Vukovar, Osijek, Sisak, Zaprešić, and Velika Gorica – was launched earlier this year, with a total budget of EUR 50 million. The agency plans to complete the project and determine the geothermal energy potential for all six cities by June next year.