The first deep well for energetic use was drilled by Dózsa Agricultural Cooperative in Szarvas in 1965. After that three other wells were utilised for agricultural purposes. The idea of space heating by geothermal energy arose only in 1986, when a national programme for replacing energy from fossil fuels by renewable energy sources started. The town applied for non refundable financial support of the central government to implement a geothermal heating system, which proved to be successful. After long negotiations the projects was extended, and in June 1994 the implementation of the first Hungarian geothermal utility started. The operation started on 1st November 1994 and consumers were step by step connected on to the geothermal network in the following moths.

Due to the abundance source of low temperature geothermal energy in Hungary hot waters are widely used in cities mainly for heating purposes. The article tells the story of the geothermal project in the town of Szarvas (SE-Hungary) where a geothermal heating system was implemented in 1986. After the political changes, in the early 1990s the project was developed further by the local government and Porció Ltd. The paper also provides information how big influence local policy can play in such projects and to what extent political mind can block the successful completion and future developments of environmentally friendly projects in the post-socialist countries.

The main parameters of the geothermal well are as follows: 

The production well and the whole service system have been running without any serious problem since 1994. The only problem has been noticed is the appearance of bacteria in the heat exchangers which reduces the heat transfer. Cleaning can be solved by using soft acids approximately twice in the heating season. If energy consumption of the former fossil fuels and the present geothermal energy is compared, some 10-15 percent reduction can be detected.

Plans of the project were prepared by Porció Ltd. and implementation was carried out by local companies in 1994. Altogether more than four km long transmission and distribution double pipeline was laid down for 17 geothermal substations in the existing heat centres. Each of the substations contained one or more heat exchangers, motor drive control valves, heat metres, pressure and temperature metres. Among the consumers we can find 118 flats, public institutions (including the town hall) and private companies.

PORCIÓ Ltd.
Hungary
Mr Gábor Szita

PORCIÓ Ltd.
Hungary
Mrs Edina Kocsis

01/01/1986

case

Urban Policy

Urban environment