Croatia Has Potential, but Also Serious Obstacles
This year's, yet 2nd in a row seminar on the possibilities of geothermal energy and heat pumps implementation,, entitled Energy from the Depths, was held on 12 June at the Antunović Congress Centre in Zagreb.
Among other things, the high potential was highlighted at the conference, as well as numerous challenges that slow down the implementation of projects. Participants, representatives of leading domestic energy and design companies, universities and institutes, relevans state and local authorities and professional associations, as well as investors from the industry, had the opportunity to discuss the further development of the application of geothermal energy in Croatia. Several interesting projects were presented, such as geothermal power plants near Slatina or Babina Greda, geothermal heating systems in Topusko (in operation for half a century and recently renovated) and in Križevci (planned), as well as the obstacles that stand in the way of their implementation. Great attention was paid to the technical details of the projects themselves and what should be paid attention to when choosing a solution for the plant and its elements.
In addition, there was discussion about the application of ground-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps, for which it was emphasized that their role can only be ensured by respecting professional rules during their design, implementation and use.
