POLAND: Geothermal energy is a viable alternative energy source in Poland, but costs and bureaucracy stand in way
Record ID:
805213
POLAND: Geothermal energy is a viable alternative energy source in Poland, but costs and bureaucracy stand in way
- Title: POLAND: Geothermal energy is a viable alternative energy source in Poland, but costs and bureaucracy stand in way
- Date: 20th February 2009
- Summary: TATRA MOUNTAINS REGION, POLAND (RECENT) (REUTERS) MOUNTAIN VILLAGE HOUSES GEOTHERMAL WATER FLOWING FROM PIPE GEOTHERMAL WATER INSTALLATION PIPE WITH WINDOW HOUSES SEEN THROUGH WINDOW IN PIPE EXTRACTION INSTALLATION PRESSURE GAUGE PIPES AND CONTAINERS IN INSTALLATION BUKOWINA TATRZANSKA, POLAND (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING IN GEOTHERMAL POOL (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY SCIENTIST, JOZEF CHOWANIEC, SAYING: "The waters in the Podhale region have the best parameters thanks to a wonderful geologic structure, easy accessibility and low mineralisation of these waters, because high mineralisation causes pollution and corrosion of the thermal installations. Also, the temperature is high." PEOPLE SWIMMING (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY SCIENTIST, JOZEF CHOWANIEC, SAYING: "The atmospheric waters infiltrate into the rock massif, migrate to certain depths where they are heated because the deeper the rocks, the higher their temperature. So the water heats up and later either emerges by itself thanks to the movement of the rock layers, or it may be accessed through boreholes." PEOPLE SWIMMING GEOTHERMAL PARK INDOOR POOL WITH PEOPLE SWIMMING BOY UNDER WATER FOUNTAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) GEOTHERMAL PARK MANAGER, EDWARD KUCHTA, SAYING: "People are used to coming to our area for over a hundred years because Bukowina Tatrzanska has been a known tourist spot for over a hundred years, this tradition is pretty strong. The vicinity of Krakow and Nowy Targ gives a guarantee that the attendance will be pretty high." WATER FOUNTAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) GEOTHERMAL PARK MANAGER, EDWARD KUCHTA, SAYING: "We had a good opportunity because the well was already built and tested. We bought it from the state. But scientists say that if you are drilling a new well, there is a 50 percent chance that you will not reach the water after spending a substantial amount of money." DZIANISZ, TATRA MOUNTAINS, POLAND (RECENT) (REUTERS) YARD AND HOUSE BELONGING TO ECOLOGY ACTIVIST WOJCIECH BIERNACKI WOMAN PLAYING WITH DOGS BIERNACKI ENTERING ROOM WITH FURNACE BIERNACKI POURING COAL INTO FURNACE FURNACE DOOR OPENING, BIERNACKI STOKES FLAMES BIERNACKI STOKING FLAMES FLAMES FROM FURNACE (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) ECOLOGY ACTIVIST, WOJCIECH BIERNACKI, SAYING: "It's the same distance from here to the water underground as it is to the well which hasn't been used for 20 years. It has one of the best thermal parameters in Poland with a water temperature of over 90 degrees. It would be nice if I could use this for heating not only for ecological, but also for practical reasons." DOGS RUNNING WOMAN PLAYING WITH DOGS (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) ECOLOGY ACTIVIST, WOJCIECH BIERNACKI, SAYING: "To say the least it is absurd that if I have two kilometres to a well with a water temperature of 90 degrees, I still use coal for heating. It's absurd, especially that this is an area where three quarters of Poland comes for holidays, especially in the winter. The air quality does not benefit from this."
- Embargoed: 7th March 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Poland
- Country: Poland
- Topics: Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA41THG89X1NW8KJV2XY1TCUNDM
- Story Text: There is less smoke coming from chimneys in the picturesque landscape of the Tatra Mountains since parts of the resort of Zakopane and surrounding villages now use geothermal waters for heating.
At the Geotermia Podhalanska well a pumping station extracts water from a depth of 2600 metres and supplies heating to neighbouring houses, a cheap and sustainable alternative to gas.
The relatively short distance between ground level and the underlying hot aquifers means that energy can be harnessed for a relatively low cost.
"The waters in the Podhale region have the best parameters thanks to a wonderful geologic structure, easy accessibility and low mineralisation of these waters, because high mineralisation causes pollution and corrosion of the thermal installations. Also, the temperature is high," said Jozef Chowaniec who works at the National Institute of Geology in nearby Krakow.
The financial viability of these local energy projects is due to the earth's crust being significantly thin below southern Poland and some other eastern European countries, meaning that there is less distance to drill in order to find hot water - the source of geothermal energy.
"The atmospheric waters infiltrate into the rock massif, migrate to certain depths where they are heated because the deeper the rocks, the higher their temperature. So the water heats up and later either emerges by itself thanks to the movement of the rock layers, or it may be accessed through boreholes." Chowaniec explains.
The recently opened thermal baths in the tourist resort Bukowina Tatrzanska are proof that harnessing geothermal energy can turn a profit, but there is a risk involved.
"We had a good opportunity because the well was already built and tested. We bought it from the state. But scientists say that if you are drilling a new well, there is a 50 percent chance that you will not reach the water after spending a substantial amount of money," says the site's manager Edward Kuchta.
But even after boring through soil and stone there can still be obstacles preventing access to geothermal energy.
Ecology activist Wojciech Biernacki blames red tape and ambiguous regulations for the difficulties he and residents of his village Dzianisz are facing against the use of geothermal resources right beneath their feet.
Biernacki moved to the Tatra Mountains from the heavily industrialised and polluted region of Upper Silesia 12 years ago and has been working to conserve the natural environment in his new home.
He and his family fled from the pollution generated by burning coal after their daughter repetitively fell ill. Now, even though their house stands on top of a vast geothermal reservoir, they still need to use coal for heating.
"It's the same distance from here to the water underground as it is to the well which hasn't been used for 20 years. It has one of the best thermal parameters in Poland with a water temperature of over 90 degrees. It would be nice if I could use this for heating not only for ecological, but also for practical reasons," said Biernacki.
"To say the least it is absurd that if I have two kilometres to a well with a water temperature of 90 degrees, I still use coal for heating.
It's absurd, especially that this is an area where three quarters of Poland comes for holidays, especially in the winter. The air quality does not benefit from this," he added.
Gas prices hikes, and even it's availability in parts of Europe, have become unpredictable recently following the Russia/Ukraine gas crisis.
Among scant potential alternatives to Russian gas in eastern Europe, experts say geothermal reserves could in the medium term be an option to reduce, but not end, the dependence on natural gas.
The United States and the Philippines are the world's two biggest producers of geothermal energy, which is constrained by a lack of technology.
Other big producers include Mexico and Indonesia.
Geothermal is mostly divided into two categories -- electricity production and direct use including heating and supplying baths with thermal water.
In 2004, installed geothermal generation capacity in 24 countries was about 8.9 gigawatts, equivalent to about 0.3 percent of world electricity, according to a 2007 report by the U.N. Climate Panel.
With strong growth, that share could rise to 2 percent by 2030, it said. By contrast, a large nuclear reactor produces about 1 GW. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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