PROSPECTIVE APPLICATIONS HYDROGEOTHERMAL RESOURCES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS REGION

Предложены области предпочтительного использования гидрогеотермальных ресурсов Восточно-Предкавказского артезианского бассейна и энергоэффективные технологии их освоения. Эффективное освоение низкопотенциальных термальных вод возможно при их комплексном использовании на водохозяйственные и теплоэнергетические цели с привлечением теплонасосных технологий и последующей очисткой воды на блоках химводоочистки до кондиций питьевой воды. Среднепотенциальные гидрогеотермальные ресурсы перспективны для выработки электроэнергии в геотермально-парогазовых технологиях с привлечением простаивающих скважин на выработанных нефтегазовых месторождениях. Комплексное освоение высокопотенциальных ресурсов с получением электроэнергии в бинарной ГеоЭС и последующим извлечением химкомпонентов из рассолов позволит решить проблему импортозамещения России по карбонату лития и пищевой соли.

Development of the Polish geothermal sector in the light of current possibilities of financial support for a geothermal investment

Geothermal energy is an internal heat of the Earth, that is a prospective and sustainable source of renewable energy. In Poland, despite having significant amount of low-temperature geothermal resources, its share in the national energy mix remains marginal but growing. Currently, the utilisation of geothermal resources is related to hydrogeothermal resources, that are used mainly in space heating, recreation and balneotherapy. Nevertheless, the indication of potential electricity production is under research. The utilisation of geothermal resources entails a plenty of environmental benefits that are particularly important in the context of the present pollution problem. Therefore, the development of the geothermal energy sector is of relevant importance and with appropriate legal and financial conditions it may have a bearing on improvement of the environment’s quality and, ipso facto, living in Poland. Thus, this paper presents numerous possibilities of obtaining a financial support for investments in geothermal energy sector. Selected funding and financial backing systems currently available in Poland are discussed. The importance of opportunity of obtaining a financial support for an investment as one of the crucial factors for the geothermal sector development is emphasised. Moreover, the examples of installations implemented in the country in the context of obtained funding are presented.

Hydrogeothermal resources in spa areas of Serbia: Main properties and possible improvement of use

Geological complexity of the territory of Serbia is a world curiosity: six main geo-tectonic regions and tens sub-regions are delineated in a small area of 88,000 km2. Geologic origin and regional structure of some areas has long been the subject of discussion. Notable magmatism and associated tectonic events in the Earth's crust provided for a fairly large hydrogeothermal resource potential, which is manifested in more than 250 warm (mainly mineral) springs and more than 100 hydrothermal wells. Thermal springs and wells together discharge some 5 m3/s. This potential is used in part for balneal therapy (waters differ in temperature and chemical composition) in the spa areas of Serbia. The amounts of thermal water unused therapeutically or the amounts of heat energy from unused geo-thermal water may be used in almost all spas for space heating/cooling and thus increase the efficiency of the thermal water energy utilization. This also will be cost-effective, reduce emission of noxious gases, and improve the environmental-health image of the resorts. The hydrogeothermal resources are described for 29 spas with 700 l/s total discharge capacity of water temperature between 25?C and 96?C, or an overall heat energy of 78.40 MWt. Feasibility of additional energy utilization of thermal water in spas is generally considered.