The Hungarian Ministry of Construction and Transport recently announced the completion of the project for a new geothermal heating system in Szeged.
According to the Ministry’s announcement, six million euros have been invested in the new facility in the Sziler district. Thanks to the new facility, the city will annually replace 2.2 million cubic metres of natural gas with nearly 20 GWh of geothermal energy.
The municipal district heating company in Szeged currently supplies heat and hot water to over 27,000 apartments and more than 400 public buildings, including schools, kindergartens and retail facilities.
The district heating system in Szeged consists of 16 heating plants and a 250-kilometre-long pipe grid in 23 heating circuits.
This Hungarian city and its surroundings have exceptional hydrogeological potential, but until recently, only natural gas was used for district heating, which resulted in significant carbon dioxide emissions.
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A revision of the National Geothermal Strategy is now underway, which could make geothermal energy a leading sector of Hungary’s green economy.
As announced by the Ministry, the goal of the National Geothermal Strategy is to reduce current domestic energy consumption by a fifth by 2026, and the share of geothermal energy in total heat production should increase from the current 6.5 per cent to between 25 and 30 per cent.
Although the country increased the use of geothermal energy after 2010 by more than four times, the huge potential of this renewable source is a chance for Hungary to get rid of imported natural gas and gain energy independence.
According to the International Trade Administration, Hungary is one of the countries that have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, so by 2030, this country should generate 90 per cent of its electricity and heat from green sources.
