Drilling for change: Szeged taps geothermal energy for a greener future

CGTN Europe

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

Transcript

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00:43To replace the city's outdated gas power system, Dr.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.

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