The EU's largest municipal geothermal heating system – worth $80m – is in Hungary… and locals are delighted at the prospect of five years ‘ free warmth.
CGTN’s Pablo Gutierrez reports from Szeged.
#greenenergy #hungary #geothermal
CGTN’s Pablo Gutierrez reports from Szeged.
#greenenergy #hungary #geothermal
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NewsTranscript
00:00It's underfloor heating, but on a massive scale.
00:04Drill teams in the Hungarian city of Szeged are boring to depths of more than 2,000 meters,
00:10all part of a plan to tap into the Earth's natural hot water reserves.
00:15Geothermal energy in Hungary provides a lot of benefits.
00:19These wells form the backbone of the city's innovative geothermal system.
00:24It's a project that has changed how Szeged heats its homes and public buildings.
00:29The district heating of Szeged was based on fossil fuels, actually natural gas.
00:33This is imported natural gas coming mainly from Russia.
00:36And it's really not environmentally positive to use that much gas.
00:41We wanted to cut that emission.
00:43To replace the city's outdated gas power system, Dr. Medzsigas and his team
00:47knew they had to harness the abundant natural hot water reserves beneath Szeged.
00:53If you drill down, if you go down, you are for sure to find 90 Celsius degrees water.
01:00And it's really a no-brainer to do that, but it's expensive.
01:04Price is one of the main drawbacks of going deeper underground.
01:08The city needed support from the EU and private investors,
01:12and the municipal heating system cost nearly $80 million.
01:16Geothermal energy, it's the Earth's natural heat.
01:21Engineers drill deep wells like this one to reach the hot water underground.
01:27Here in Szeged, there are 27 wells, 16 heating plants, and 250 kilometers of pipe
01:36that deliver this clean energy to 27,000 apartment units and 400 non-residential buildings.
01:45The system serves roughly one-third of Szeged's population of about 165,000 people.
01:51According to the district heating company, the switch to geothermal energy
01:56has reduced the city's CO2 emissions by 30,000 tons annually,
02:01while providing a cost-effective and secure energy source for its residents.
02:06We operate as an energy island, ensuring long-term security for our residents and businesses.
02:13Gábor Beres is one of the engineers at Szeged's newest residential and commercial developments.
02:18The complex connected to the city's geothermal system offers new tenants
02:23up to five years of free heating when they move in.
02:27Our heating and hot water come from the ground.
02:30Our electricity comes from an external service.
02:33We pay for that, but the building's free heat keeps our costs very low overall.
02:38For Szeged, harnessing geothermal resources has paved the way for energy independence
02:43and environmental responsibility, making it a potential model for other European cities to follow.
02:50Pablo Gutiérrez, CGTN, Szeged, Hungary.