Slovenia awards first concession for geothermal exploration
The Government of Slovenia has awarded a concession for geothermal exploration in the municipality of Lendava to Verde Energy. Slovenia doesn’t yet use geothermal energy for electricity production.
It is the first concession awarded for geothermal energy, marking an important step toward decarbonizing the Pomurje region, according to the Government of Slovenia.
Lendava is also the site of an innovative project for the use of geothermal energy in Slovenia. It is being implemented by Slovenian companies Dravske Elektrarne Maribor (DEM), Petrol, and Nafta Lendava.
The government said the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy has received an initiative from Verde Energy to start the process of approving a concession for geothermal exploration. The procedure is based on the Law on the Introduction of Devices for the Production of Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources, adopted in 2023.
The concession includes three phases
The initiative relates to an area in the municipality of Lendava, the government said. It determined, after a thorough review, that it met all legal requirements.
The concession for geothermal exploration involves a comprehensive exploration of geothermal potential and the development of technology for producing electricity from renewable sources.
The project consists of several phases. The first is the exploration of geothermal energy potential, which includes geophysical surveys and the drilling and testing of geothermal wells.
The concession was awarded without a tender
Next is the preparatory phase, involving the creation of a spatial implementation plan, obtaining necessary permits, drilling wells, and constructing a geothermal power plant. The third phase is for an electricity production study.
According to local media, the concession was granted without a tender, which is allowed by law.
Verde Energy, registered in Ljubljana, is owned by Turkish company Soyak Yenilenebilir Enerji, part of the Soyak Holding group, Lendava Info reported.
In neighboring Croatia, Soyak is planning to build an 80 MW geothermal power plant. It would be the largest in the country. Soyak has established seven project firms in the country.
