Poland’s Energy and Climate Minister, Anna Moskwa inaugurated a conference on the development of geothermal energy, which took place in Toruń (north Poland) on Monday (17 April).
During her speech, Minister Moskwa said that the development of geothermal energy as a renewable energy source is one of the goals of the 2040 Polish Energy Policy. “The development of geothermal energy as one of the renewable energy sources is one of the goals of the Polish Energy Policy until 2040,” she said.
In Poland, district heating is the main field in which geothermal energy is used. Geothermal installations in the heating system operate in seven locations: Mszczonów, Poddębice, Podhale, Pyrzyce, Stargard, Uniejów and, from 2022, Toruń. The development of system heating based on geothermal solutions is forecast in the Ministry’s draft energy strategy for the heating sector.
“The development of geothermal energy is a very important area in the energy and heating transformation. This is a direction that ensures local energy security. Geothermal energy is a constant source of heat that we should learn to use,” said Piotr Dziadzio, Chief National Geologist and Government Plenipotentiary for Poland’s raw materials policy, who also attended the conference.
In recent years, programs like Polska Geotermia Plus (Polish Geothermal Energy Plus) with a budget of 600 million złotych (129.7 million euros) were launched to aid district heating companies in developing the country’s geothermal sector, including thermal deposit exploration.
In addition, the National Fund for Protection and Environment financed the construction of geothermal wells in 15 towns across the country with a budget of 229.2 million złotych (49.5 million euros). Thanks to this financial aid, it was possible to identify thermal waters and prepare hydrogeological documentation for these locations, the Ministry said.
Separately, the Polish Climate and Environment Ministry has developed a Long-term Program for the Development of the Use of Geothermal Resources in Poland, which sets out a roadmap for geothermal energy until 2040.
The potential for developing geothermal energy (low- and medium-temperature) may be located even in 60-80 per cent of the country’s territory, the Ministry said.
