Three Slovenian energy companies united to work on the project of investigating the possibilities of applying geothermal energy in Prekmurje. The Maribor Drava electric power plants (DEM) as well as the leading Slovenian energy companies, Petrol and Nafta Lendava, are planning to implement a project of using geothermal energy from abandoned oil and gas wells. In late January a letter of intent was signed with the Lendava municipality on the implementation of a geothermal plant pilot project, according to a post on the Energetika-net portal.
According to the report of the Maribor Electric power Industry, the project could be an important turning point regarding the use of geothermal energy in the abandoned gas and oil wells in Slovenia and throughout the world. The company is convinced of the great potential of geothermal energy due to its reliability and sustainability as well as accessibility every day of the year. In addition, it has numerous advantages in comparison with traditional fossil-based energy sources the greatest of which is that the energy is clean and environmentally safe since it doesn’t generate harmful emissions. Apart from that, geothermal energy can be used for heating and cooling as well as for the production of electricity. Throughout the world, there are more than 10 million abandoned gas wells that could be used for the exploitation of geothermal energy of which there are 15 in Slovenia.
Within the framework of the exploration and implementation project, a completely new method of electricity production will be tested, namely, on the basis of a geothermal gravitational heat pipe. The solution is the result of Slovenian know-how and actually enables a completely new way of producing electricity from geothermal energy.
The project was elaborated in Čentiba in the municipality of Lendava and the construction of a small electric power plant is planned within the framework of the project. In case of favorable results, it will be possible to use the same concept in other abandoned wells in Slovenia and abroad. Accordingly, the project represents an important watershed in the development of geothermal energy and a contribution to reducing pollution from abandoned wells all over the world.
