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GEOTHERMAL SURVEY IN HUNGARY

A. N. Toth, A. V. Pasztor

Abstract

Hungary is well known for its geothermal potential, used mostly for spas. Where geothermal is used for energy production, it is mostly in the form of a direct heat supply for heating housing projects and businesses. Currently, no geothermal power-plant is operating in Hungary. Neither is the ground-source heat-pump market very strong, maybe because of HungaryпїЅs depressed economy, which still hasnпїЅt recovered from the global recession. All the same, a few large-scale projects are underway. Their realization is hindered by the absence of a 100% reliable and official government authority, one which could unequivocally vouch for HungaryпїЅs geothermal data. ThatпїЅs why the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority requested in 2016 that a study be made. The studyпїЅs aim was to analyze and summarize the geothermal potential of every one of HungaryпїЅs 19 counties. Information from the Hungarian Geological and Geophysical Institute was used for the study, along with selected geothermal databases from the Hungarian Office for Mining and Geology. Both sources together yielded data for a total of 1622 thermal wells. Beyond those, about 170 abandoned hydrocarbon wells were analyzed, the Hungarian Mine Utilization Company having judged those wells to be suitable for geothermal use. At the same time as these necessary data where assembled into a national geothermal atlas, numerous smaller-scale charts, graphs and maps were also created. Beyond creating a solid informational basis where none had existed before, this study served the important purpose of showing the 19 Hungarian county governments how they could benefit from their untapped geothermal potential.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2017/42/s17.038

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