The Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) maintains a nationwide GIS database on low-temperature geothermal energy (BDGNT), as part of which geological documentation and other records compiled for the purpose of harnessing geothermal energy, held in the National Geological Archive, have been digitised
Its aim is to provide specialist planning tools for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of geological and thermal conditions.
The BDGNT database collects data on boreholes drilled for the purpose of borehole heat exchangers (BHE) and representative borehole heat exchanger profiles, as well as sites with ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) installed and the locations of sites with systems utilising shallow geothermal energy.
The database also contains borehole logs. These include information on the location, x and y coordinates in the PL-1992 system, elevation (H), type of facility, investor, client, drilling system, date of drilling and other details, such as the documentation under which the drilling was carried out. In addition, the data sheet includes details of the geothermal installation components used in the representative borehole in question.
The BDGNT database also contains point layers representing the reclassification of selected boreholes from the HYDRO and CBDG databases according to geothermal parameters.
As part of the BDGNT project, GIS information layers have been created for the following depth intervals: 40, 70, 100 and 130 metres. These layers enable the assessment of low-temperature geothermal potential (thermal conductivity, unit heat output) within the depth range corresponding to the borehole heat exchangers most commonly used in Poland.
To supplement the BDGNT, a polygon layer has been created showing areas where potential geo-environmental conflicts may arise, and where the drilling of boreholes for heat exchangers (BHE) – and thus the installation of ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) – is possible, conditionally possible, or where there are clear contraindications to their installation. This layer is useful for the effective design of individual GSHP installations, as well as for determining – for example, by local authorities – the extent to which low-temperature geothermal energy can meet the heating demand of a given region or urban agglomeration.
The data collected has been published on the PGI-NRI websites – in the ‘Geothermal Energy’ section at geologia.pgi.gov.pl and in the mobile app geolog.pgi.gov.pl (GeoLOG).
The above information layers were created on the basis of 3D numerical modelling and GIS spatial analyses. The results of this work, presented in the form of maps and information layers, are the outcome of geostatistical calculations and, by definition, do not always correspond to actual conditions. PGI-NRI accepts no liability for any losses or lost profits arising from the use of the information provided.