Geothermal Power Project’s Manageable Risks in Hungary

Abstract

There are many compelling arguments for using geothermal energy in Hungary. One of the most important is that the country could thereby exploit its abundant, relatively untapped network of geothermal reservoirs. These are considerably warmer and closer to the surface than in most of Europe. In the foreseeable future, Hungary’s geothermal resources can satisfy the conditions required for efficient energy production. The tremendous amount of energy stored in our geothermal reservoirs could satisfy much of the country’s long-term energy demand.Every geothermal project is designed to fulfill its project objectives by meeting time, budget, technical, and legal/regulatory provisions. Geothermal development is necessarily exposed to risks of varying degrees throughout its development, something which distinguishes geothermal from other kinds of renewable-energy projects. These risks most often concern the availability, amount, suitability, sustainability and use-potential of the geothermal resource, but may also include market, financing, commercial and macro-economic risks.

Evolution of worldwide geothermal power 2020–2023

“…The plant is fed by one well at 1500-1800 m depth that was originally drilled for hydrocarbon purposes. The well produces 2200 L per minute of water at 108 °C, which is reinjected at 8 bars of pressure into the same reservoir (Toth and Nádor 2023), after exiting the heat interchanger in the power plant. Geothermal electric generation in 2021 was 18.13 GWh (Low-Carbon Power 2023), which is an increase of 16% over the 15.6 GWh produced in 2019 (Table 2).…”

“…According to Toth and Nádor (2023), the Hungarian territory is in the Pannonian basin, which shows positive geothermal anomaly with heat-flow from 50 to 130 mW/ m 2 and a geothermal gradient of approximately 45 °C/km. Two main types of geothermal reservoirs have been identified.…”

“…A call to support drilling of geothermal wells for heating reducing geological risks of the first reinjection wells (at 1000-2500 m depth) was launched in 2023. The total budget is approximately US$18 million (Toth and Nádor 2023).…”

The theoretical approach of the solar organic Rankine cycle integrated with phase change material for the Hungarian region

“…Although Hungary's natural gas use has declined since 2008, natural gas accounts for the majority of imported energy. Approximately 80% of this natural gas is transported from Russia via Ukraine and Austria 1 . Therefore, Hungary's energy policy strategy for 2022 focuses on increasing the country's energy independence, especially in the recent tragedy of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.…”

“…Approximately 80% of this natural gas is transported from Russia via Ukraine and Austria. 1 Therefore, Hungary's energy policy strategy for 2022 focuses on increasing the country's energy independence, especially in the recent tragedy of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia completely stopped Nord Stream 1 gas flows, which has presented Europe with a new set of energy security issues.…”