Why is this so? One of the reasons is probably low public awareness and distrust. The underground is an unexplored territory that raises many concerns. But just as humans have conquered electricity, they can harness the earth's heat. Thanks to advanced technology and knowledge, we have this vast resource at our fingertips. Let us now use a few examples from abroad to show that geothermal energy can be harnessed safely and for the long-term benefit of all.
We begin our journey in the capital of France. Paris is situated above two deep aquifers with temperature between 60-80°C, which are ideal sources of geothermal energy. It began to be used in Paris in 1969 and is now used to heat more than 250,000 homes. Thanks to its long-standing successful application, there is no problem in convincing the public that this is the right path to sustainable energy.
Another example is Munich, which is fulfilling an ambitious plan to be the first major German city to switch fully to geothermal heating by 2040. More than seven geothermal projects have been launched here in ten years. The southern part of Bavaria is well suited for the use of geothermal energy due to the high temperature of the thermal water and the permeability of the rock. More than half of Germany's geothermal power plants are located in Bavaria.
From Germany, let's move on to Tuscany in Italy, where the oldest geothermal power plant in the world is located in Larderello. The first geothermal generator, harnessing the power of volcanic springs, was built here in 1904. It produced 10 kW, which was the energy needed to power five light bulbs at the time. From these modest beginnings, the development here moved on to the first geothermal power station (1913) with a capacity of 2 750 kW, which powered the railway and the adjacent villages of Larderello and Volterra. Today there are 34 geothermal power stations in the area with a total capacity of 800 MW, making Italy one of the world's leading countries in the use of geothermal energy.
As can be seen, geothermal energy is not unattainable. It offers great opportunities, and its cost and risk are decreasing hand in hand with technological progress. Of course, this is not free and sometimes leads to dead ends, which, along with Jara Cimrman, teach us that "not this way, my friends".
Sources:
https://www.push-it-thermalstorage.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Webinar_Understanding_the_social_aspects_of_geothermalenergy_PC.pdf
https://www.power-technology.com/features/oldest-geothermal-plant-larderello/?cf-view
https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/geothermal-greater-paris-area-making-better-and-better-use-of-enormous-potential/
https://mzv.gov.cz/munich/cz/obchod_a_ekonomika/vyuziti_obnovitelnych_zdroju_bavorsko.html
