PGI-NRI has evaluated the geothermal potential of nearly 80 municipalities

grafika ilustracyjna Thermal waters are a valuable resource used in many sectors of the country’s economy, which enjoy growing interest from many investors, including the local government. It is evidenced by, among others, the response from wójts, mayors and presidents to the action taken by the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, consisting of making available assessments on the volume of geothermal potential in individual municipalities.

Since August 2021, at the request of local governments, PGI-NRI geothermal experts have been preparing, free of charge, preliminary assessments on the occurrence and potential for development of thermal waters in municipalities. By February 10, 2022, 76 such assessments have been prepared, but the support action has not yet been completed. The large scale of interest proves that local governments are looking for alternative sources of heat and want to fight air pollution.

The greatest interest was shown by municipalities from two voivodeships: Wielkopolskie (14) and Dolnośląskie (12). Lesser interest was expressed in the Zachodniopomorskie, Mazowieckie, Małopolskie, Śląskie, Łódzkie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Opolskie voivodeships. The list is closed by the Podkarpackie, Świętokrzyskie, Lubelskie, Podlaskie voivodeships, and last by the Pomorskie voivodeship, for which only one assessment was prepared. No municipalities from the Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Lubuskie voivodeships applied to PGI-NRI for an assessment.

Therefore, it can be concluded that local governments have some knowledge of the prospects for thermal water development in their area, as a significant number of requests for assessments are from voivodeships located within the prospective areas.

Assessments of occurrence and possibilities of utilization of thermal waters were made on the basis of geological and hydrogeological data available to PGI-NRI, including profiles of deep boreholes, geological and hydrogeological maps, geothermal atlases, mineral resource balances and databases maintained by the Institute, especially the Central Geological Database.

Following a detailed analysis of available materials PGI-NRI experts assessed the geothermal potential of the municipality concerned. Medium, high and very high potential was found in as many as 29 locations, and these municipalities received recommendations to implement further investment. For 34 locations the potential was assessed negatively (low, very low, none). For the locations where it was not possible to assess the potential (13 locations), mainly due to the lack of sufficient geological and hydrogeological exploration, it was recommended to conduct further studies in order to identify the hydrogeological conditions more precisely, which gives hope for possible future use of thermal waters.

Nearly 40% of local governments which applied to PGI-NRI for an assessment, received information that they possess geothermal potential, which allows them to plan the construction of a geothermal heating plant. It is a very positive bit of information for municipalities which have not yet applied to PGI-NRI for an assessment. There is value in doing so and having verified and reliable information on whether it is worth to invest in geothermal energy.

Map of prospective areas for exploration and extraction of thermal waters

The task of preparing free assessments is still going on. We invite the municipalities interested in using geothermal potential, to contact the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute. The Institute's experts will prepare for you, free of charge, a preliminary assessment on the occurrence and possibility of utilizing thermal waters at the indicated location.

Each assessment includes information on:

the geological structure,
the state of hydrogeological and geothermal exploration,
possibilities of capturing thermal waters (among others information on estimated depth of the borehole, yield, temperature and mineralization of thermal waters),
most serious issues identified at this stage of work, which may make the implementation of a potential geothermal investment impossible.

The assessments are prepared as part of the project "Municipal geology - PGI-NRI information and education service on mining geology, environmental protection, administration and legislation" and are being financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.