Stargard, a city of some 70 000 people in the Zachodniopomorskie region of north-western Poland, is the site of an EU-funded project under which four geothermal wells were drilled. The wells have a total energy generation capacity of 12 megawatts. In addition, a high-performance pumping system and all necessary connections linking the energy source, the wells and the grid were set up. As a result, production of heat from renewable geothermal energy in Stargard increased by almost 100% – from around 200 000 to 400 000 gigajoules a year.
- 03 February 2014
“This investment allows Stargard to strengthen its position among Polish cities that use renewable energy sources. At present, over 30% of the heat used for the operations of the municipal thermal energy company comes from geothermal sources. Each step of this kind has a positive impact on our natural environment.”
The project involved extending the existing geothermal power plant, which already had three geothermal wells: one for extraction of hot water with a temperature of nearly 90 °C and two for injection into the ground of waste geothermal fluids, which are cooled to 40-55 °C, to replenish the source.
Various infrastructural elements were expanded, including heat exchangers. These convert the hot geothermal fluid into a secondary working fluid, which is turned into steam, the vapour from which powers a turbine to produce energy.
Powering and heating the city
Stargard’s geothermal resources are located at depths of almost 2 700 m. Prior to the implementation of the project, they already met more than 30% of the needs of the city’s heating network. In summer, water in Stargard was heated using geothermal energy alone. The expansion of the power plant allows it to be used more extensively during colder weather.
The wells were drilled using directional, rather than vertical, techniques, which eliminated the risk of mixing the extracted hot water and the injected waste fluid. The drilling technology used is a tried-and-tested method that respects both Polish and European environmental standards.
Reducing pollution and saving lives
The new wells have made it possible to generate more than 62 million additional megawatt hours of thermal energy a year from renewable sources. Moreover, the expanded power plant can supply heat to approximately 70 % of Stargard’s inhabitants. All of the geothermal energy extracted from the wells is used by Stargard’s municipal thermal energy company to provide the city with heat and hot water.
Previously, meeting residents’ heating needs resulted in the emission of large quantities of pollutants. Use of cleaner energy thanks to the project can cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of over 23 000 tonnes of CO2. In turn, air pollution has been reduced, which should lead to a decrease in the incidence of cancers and cardiovascular and lung diseases.
The next step
In 2022, a contract was signed for a new EU-funded geothermal project in Stargard. This will involve drilling the Stargard GT-8 exploitation well to a depth of approximately 2 800 m and connecting the heat pumps with the existing geothermal network. The total value of the project is PLN 75 053 370, of which PLN 31 740 000 is EU funding (about EUR 16 million and EUR 6.7 million respectively).
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of geothermal wells in Stargard” is EUR 17 304 000, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 9 627 264 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Low-carbon economy”.