Description
The Municipality of Oradea has a strategy for heating defined in a master plan approved by the City Council in 2010. The plan includes the rehabilitation of heat and power production plants using gas as fuel, the rehabilitation of the heat transport system and an increase in geothermal energy intake. The project’s aim is to replace the heat produced by the CET Oradea with thermal energy produced from geothermal water. The project will result in an installed capacity of 2,7 MWt; 3662,80 of energy produced per year and an estimated avoidance 1130 tonnes CO2 per year. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the end users from 52 buildings located on the streets of Matei Basarab, Suceava, Rimanoczy Kalman and buildings belonging to the Sports High School. All residents of Oradea will benefit from the reduction in pollutant emissions (dust, CO2, NOx). The Donor Project Partner is Icelandic Geothermal Engineering Ltd. (IGE). IGE’s role is to provide technical assistance in support of engineering and quality control during project implementation, and evaluation of geothermal deposit characteristics of Oradea.
Summary of project results
The project has fully achieved its targets, as follows: - the upgrade of a geothermal station; - the construction of the reinjection drill at the depth of 2900 m and the related reinjection station; The long-term achievements are: - geothermal heating for 870 persons (households and a highschool); - the pollutant emissions in the atmosphere are null; - the CO2 emissions are reduced by 1,130 tons CO2/year by saving the fossil fuel that would have been burnt in the conventional installations for producing the equivalent quantity of thermal energy; - the phonic pollution is to a great extent reduced, or even null; - the thermal and chemical pollution will be null by reinjecting the thermally used water. The geothermal water will not suffer any changes in the chemical nature, being free of any treatment to diminish the mineralization degree. This solution is in line with the requirements imposed by the regulations of the environment protection policies, in the existing licenses for the water management, as well as in the license for the geothermal resources exploitation, issued by ANRM. Hence, the principle of sustainable development and the reasonable use of the alternative energetic resources in sustainable regime, without affecting the environment, is observed and promoted; - in comparison to the solution for producing the current thermal energy – CET operating on coal, the landscape aesthetical pollution is less severe, even null – the suggested installations are of reduced size (the equivalent or even smaller than a section power plant); - the installations using the geothermal energy present no risk for the surrounding area, since there are no hazardous chemical substances or other potentially pollutant compounds used.
Summary of bilateral results
The partner provided technical assistance in support of engineering and quality control during the project implementation, and evaluation of geothermal deposit characteristics of Oradea. The partner has been involved in designing and managing the promotional activities as well. Icelandic Geothermal Engineering (IGE) is a subsidiary of Landsvirkjun Power and is specialized in turn-key geothermal deep well pump solutions up to 200°C and 300 m, including start-up and operator training. The partnership has had as a result the transfer of expertise and know-how in the field of geothermal resources exploitation of Oradea deposit. The partnership is very likely to outlive the project framework.