Czech Geological Survey promotes geothermal energy expansion

Zdeněk Venera, director of the Czech Geological Survey (ČGS), is advocating for the expanded use of geothermal energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He emphasizes that while carbon capture is one method of addressing climate change, geothermal energy is a vital alternative because it prevents emissions from being produced in the first place.

Geothermal energy utilizes heat from the Earth's crust through deep wells, which have long lifespans and do not consume local groundwater. Current applications include heating the ČGS building in Prague via 15 wells reaching depths of 200 meters.

In Litoměřice, the Synergys project is developing a series of wells ranging from 100 to 300 meters deep, with plans for even deeper wells reaching 3.5 kilometers to achieve water temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Celsius. This project, funded by the Just Transition Operational Programme, is expected to be completed by 2028 and may eventually support central heating for the city.